Wright Brothers Essays - Wright Brothers, Glider Aircraft

Wright Brothers Bishop Milton Wright and Susan Catharine Wright had four sons, Reuchlin, Lorin, Wilbur, and Orville, and one daughter Katharine. Little did Susan Wright know that she had given birth to one of the world's most famous inventive partnerships. Wilbur was born on April 16, 1867, near Millville, Indiana. Orville was born 4 years later on August 19, 1871, in the families newly built home at 7 Hawthorn Street in Dayton, Ohio. A minister in the Church of the United Brethren in Christ, Milton Wright moved his family to Dayton so he could edit the church newspaper published there. The Wrights stayed in Dayton until 1878, when Milton was elected bishop and moved the family to Iowa. In 1885, they returned to the house at 7 Hawthorn Street. As the boys grew older, their parents encouraged them to pursue intellectual interests. They had two libraries in their house; books on theology were kept in the bishop's study, while the downstairs library had a large and diverse collection. This kept them always reading and learning while they were not at school. Although their dad was a firm disciplinarian, both parents were loving and kept the family a close one. Every once and awhile, Milton would bring them various souvenirs and trinkets he found during his travels for the church. One such trinket, a toy helicopter-like top, sparked the boys' interest in flying. Wilbur's skating accident and his mother's illness and subsequent death kept him from attending college. Orville was on the other hand, was an average student, known for his mischievous behavior. He quit school before his senior year to start a printing business with his brother. The first time Wilbur and Orville referred to themselves, as "The Wright Brothers" was when they started their own printing firm at the ages of 22 and 18. Using a damaged tombstone and buggy parts, they built a press and printed their own newspaper. In 1892, the brothers bought bicycles. They began repairing bicycles for friends, and then started their own repair business. They opened up a bicycle shop in 1893, and three years later, made their own bicycles called Van Cleves and St. Clairs. While caring for Orville, who was sick with typhoid in 1896, Wilbur read about two events; the death in a flying accident of Otto Lilienthal, the celebrated German experimenter with gliders, and the successful launching of powered models by Samuel Langley. This struck Wilbur with excitement. The Wright's serious work in aeronautics began in 1899 when Wilbur wrote to the Smithsonian Institution for information on aeronautical research. Within a few months after writing to the Smithsonian, Wilbur had read all that was written about flying. He then defined the elements of a flying machine: wings to provide lift, a power source for propulsion, and a system of control. Wilbur alone recognized the need to control a flying machine in its three axes of motion: pitch, roll, and yaw. They quickly developed their own theories, and for the next four years devoted themselves to the goal of human flight. In August of 1900, Wilbur built his first glider. They sought an arrangement where practice would be easy. Wilbur wanted to build a 150-foot tower with a pulley at the top. A rope, attached to the glider, would pass over the pulley and be tied to a counterweight, supporting part of the weight of the craft. Wilbur believed this arrangement would permit the pilot to practice the skills needed to fly even if the craft was not yet fully airworthy. The brothers friend, Octave Chanute, wisely recommended against this course of action, instead encouraging the brothers to find a place with lots of sand and strong winds, to minimize the effort in moving the glider from the point of landing back to the point of takeoff. Wilbur then contacted the U.S. Weather Bureau for information on windy regions of the country. He chose a remote sandy area off the coast of North Carolina named Kitty Hawk where there would be no fanfare or no media. The winds averaged 13 M.P.H. and were good speeds for testing. Wilbur arrived in Kitty Hawk on September 13, 1900, while Orville followed on September 27. The two brothers

The Royal Tennenbaums essays

The Royal Tennenbaums essays From the quirky yet comical mind of Wes Anderson, comes a film about a dysfunctional family that tries to make amends with the downfall and corruption that erased the dreams of a nuclear family. Andersons two previous cult classics Bottle Rocket and Rushmore failed to ignite at the box office but received impressive reviews. The Royal Tenenbaums is certainly not a film for everybody, but theres no doubt that its a dazzling original piece of work. Wes uses offbeat eccentricities, damaged characters, and a bizarre yet profound comedy that comes along all too rarely. He may have created as close to a musical as you can get with out any characters busting into song or choreographed shuffles. It possesses a certain fantastic beauty that is only attainable in fantasy, yet has all aspects that would classify this movie as fiction. This movie will leave the viewer like a wallflower at a high school prom. We want to desperately be apart of its perspective of New York City but we are also awar e of the utter fakeness of it all. The main theme of The Royal Tenenbaums is how an incompetent father, who was separated from his family for nearly twenty years, tries to make up for his lack of concern and misery that he has brought to his children. Wes Andersons grew up in Houston, Texas. While attending the University of Texas at Austin, he met actor/writer Owen Wilson who helped him write the screenplay to The Royal Tenenbaums. The idea for this movie was partially biographical with the aspect of the family situation, but generally everything else was made up by the two unpredictable, cock-eyed geniuses. In the very beginning of the movie, Anderson wants you to believe that the film is an adaptation of a book with the same name. As viewers, we obtain his book at the library, watch as its dated, and embrace its plastic cover even though we know it will never truly be ours. Wes spent years getting all the research and p...

The Mousterian Middle Paleolithic Tool Industry

The Mousterian Middle Paleolithic Tool Industry The Mousterian industry is the name archaeologists have given to an ancient Middle Stone Age method of making stone tools. The Mousterian is associated with our hominid relatives the Neanderthals in Europe and Asia and both Early Modern Human and Neanderthals in Africa. Mousterian stone tools were in use between about 200,000 years ago, until roughly 30,000 years ago, after the Acheulean industry, and about the same time as the Fauresmith tradition in South Africa. Stone Tools of the Mousterian The Mousterian stone tool production type is considered a technological step forward consisting of a transition from Lower Paleolithic hand-held Acheulean hand axes to hafted tools. Hafted tools are stone points or blades mounted on wooden shafts and wielded as spears or perhaps bow and arrow. A typical Mousterian stone tool assemblage is primarily defined as a flake-based tool kit made using the Levallois technique, rather than later blade-based tools. In traditional archaeological terminology, flakes are variously shaped thin stone sheets knapped off a core, while blades are flakes which are at least twice as long as their widths.   The Mousterian Toolkit Part of the Mousterian assemblage is made up of Levallois tools such as points and cores. The tool kit varies from place to place and from time to time but in general, includes the following tools: Mousterian point/convergent scraper: short, broad triangular projectile points struck from prepared coresLevallois flakes with retouch: sub-oval, subquadrangular, triangular, or leaf-shaped flakes struck from cores, which may have been retouched, that is to say, a series of small purposeful flakes have been removed from the flake to create an edge which is either sharp for cutting or blunted to make it safe to holdLevallois blades: elongated oval or rectangular blanks removed from cores with basal preparation and correction of the core convexityLevallois cores: include two types, pebble and bipolar. Pebble cores are clasts or angular rock fragments from which a series of flakes have been detached by percussion; bipolar cores are those created by placing the clast on a hard surface and striking it from above with a hard percussor History The Mousterian tool kit was identified in the 20th century to solve chronostratigraphic problems in western European Middle Paleolithic stone tool assemblages. Middle Stone Age tools were first intensively mapped in the  Levant  where British archaeologist Dorothy Garrod identified the Levantine  facies  at the site of Mugharet et-Tabà ¼n or Tabun Cave in what is today Israel. The traditional Levantine process is defined below: Tabun D or Phase 1 Levantine (270 to 170 thousand years ago [ka]), laminar blanks from Levallois and non-Levallois unipolar and  bi-polar  cores, higher frequency of retouched piecesTabun C or Phase 2 Levantine (170 to 90  ka) oval or rectangular blanks from cores, Mousterian points, side  scrapers, notches, and denticulatesTabun B or Phase 3 Levantine (90 to 48  ka), blanks from Levallois cores, Mousterian points, thin flakes and blades Since Garrods day, the Mousterian has been used as a point of departure to compare stone tools from Africa and southwest Asia. Recent Critiques However, United States archaeologist John Shea has suggested that the Mousterian category may have outlived its usefulness and may even be getting in the way of the ability for scholars to effectively study human behaviors. The Mousterian lithic technology was defined as a single entity in the early 20th century, and although during the first half of that century a range of scholars tried to subdivide it, they were largely unsuccessful. Shea (2014) points out that different regions have different percentages of the different tool types and the categories are not based on what scholars are interested in learning. Scholars would like to know, after all, what was the tool making strategy for different groups, and that is not readily available from the Mousterian technology in the way it is currently defined. Shea proposes that moving away from the traditional categories would open up paleolithic archaeology and enable it to address the central issues in paleoanthropology. A Few Mousterian Sites Levant Israel: Qafzeh, Skhul, Kebara, Hayonim, Tabun, Emeireh, Amud, Zuttiyeh, El-WadJordan: Ain DiflaSyria: El Kowm North Africa Morocco: Rhafas Cave, Dar es Soltan Central Asia Turkey: Kalatepe DeresiAfghanistan: Darra-i-KurUzbekistan: Teschik-Tasch Europe Gibraltar: Gorhams CaveFrance: Abric Romani, St. Cesaire, Grotte du NoistierSpain: LArbreda CaveSiberia: Denisova CaveUkraine: Moldova SitesCroatia: Vindija Cave Selected Sources Bar-Yosef O. 2008. ASIA, WEST: Palaeolithic Cultures. In: Pearsall DM, editor. Encyclopedia of Archaeology. New York: Academic Press. p 865-875.Close AE, and Minichillo T. 2007. Archaeological Records: Global Expansion 300,000-8000 years ago, Africa. In: Elias SA, editor. Encyclopedia of Quaternary Science. Oxford: Elsevier. p 99-107.Culley EV, Popescu G, and Clark GA. 2013. An analysis of the compositional integrity of the Levantine Mousterian facies. Quaternary International 300:213-233.Petraglia MD, and Dennell R. 2007. Archaeological Records: Global Expansion 300,000-8000 years ago, Asia. In: Elias SA, editor. Encyclopedia of Quaternary Science. Oxford: Elsevier. p 107-118.Shea JJ. 2013. Lithic Modes A–I: A New Framework for Describing Global-Scale Variation in Stone Tool Technology Illustrated with Evidence from the East Mediterranean Levant. Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory 20(1):151-186.Shea JJ. 2014. Sink the Mousterian? Named stone tool industries (NASTIES) as obstacles to investigating hominin evolutionary relationships in the Later Middle Paleolithic Levant. Quaternary International 350:169-179.

Computer Security Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Computer Security - Assignment Example are the computer viruses. Yet, the computers of unsuspecting email readers are still safe from them because these viruses are not like those standard spyware and viruses that affect them. In order to destabilize, harm and physically tear down the infrastructure of Iran’s uranium enrichment capacity, oil industries and other economic sectors, the viruses like flame were actually developed. The act of understood Chinese break-in of Google mail servers or Russian and Eastern European identity theft is possibly be observed as the act of dishonest civilians within the state but this virus are not like them. Instead it is clear that these specialized viruses are designed professionally and specifically made and positioned at the will of a national body. These viruses are surely not good for future at world stage as it is an indication of the beginning of a new type of warfare for which not a single country is truly prepared. (Hamilton,

International Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 4

International Management - Essay Example The key opinion/position or argument of the author is that women expatiates perform well as women are good at interpersonal adjustments; but all these are true when women expatriates are truly determined to pursue an expatriate career. Women’s ability to establish good public relationships and their determination, assures the possibility of their success in their foreign assignments; proving that they can be as good, if not better than, their male counterparts. As evidenced by research, results show that women managers get their motivation from the setting and achieving of organizational goals that promotions, and are more interested in challenging tasks that involve personal growth (Alamo –Metcalfe, 1995). Women also have no problem adjusting internationally, as stated by Bochner (1981), in the study conducted, results show that female expatriates, even as a newcomer, are aware of when and how to display appropriate behaviors in the country they work in and act as sources of information, facilitating understanding. This is also one proof that women expatriates have overcome language barriers, a factor that determines how well one can adjust internationally. Due to the innate nature of women of establishing good relationships, women are indeed capable of pursuing an international career or assignment. In addition, due to the fact that women have always been compared with men in terms of what they can or cannot (able and not able to) do, women are also innately motivated to prove themselves; but their motivation is not on how many promotions are possible for them to achieve, but on the satisfaction of being able to handle and perform a job as well (if not better than) as men. Although women are as determined as men, and performs well too, the author was not able to present the side on whether family concerns are

Indochina Essay Example for Free

Indochina Essay The South Vietnamese government had a substantial amount of success in keeping power up until 1968, surprisingly. This was done in a number of ways such as; government policies, fighting tactics/strategies and the aid of other countries e. g. America. On 26th October 1955 Ngo Dinh Diem won a referendum which appointed him as the President of South Vietnam (This was a rigged vote) and gave Emperor Bao Dai the boot. Although the country wasn’t really a democracy anymore it was more like an oligarchy that implemented a totalitarian regime. Over the next coming years Diem and his followers built his army up going against the communists in their own country, carry out a new campaign known as the Denunciation Campaign. This campaign convinced people to report anyone to the government who were in favour of communism by means of supporting the Viet Minh or anyone who had fought against the French. By August 1956, Diem made it illegal, in a decree known as Ordinance 47, to be a communist or to associate with one and it is estimated that because of this decree 12 000 people were killed and 40 000 were imprisoned. Although the way the government went about getting rid of communist was seen as harsh, today it can be seen that this tactic could have greatly contributed to government being as successful as they were in keeping power up until 1968. From the moment the Geneva Conference ended in 1954, America was South Vietnams backbone. This can be proven in a letter sent from President Eisenhower of the USA to Ngo Dinh Diem which states that the United States wanted to help with the welfare, stability and strength of the government of South Vietnam. America’s contribution to South Vietnam took form in many different ways, such as; 1. America sent over a thousand military personal to South Vietnam to assist in training and building up there armies. 2. From July of 1957 to June of 1958 America paid ALL of the South Vietnamese cost for their army, 80% of government expenditures and 90% of all imports. 3. The USA provided each refugee coming into South Vietnam with $89 America was a big reason in why South Vietnam was so successful in keeping power up until 1968, without their knowledge, military and financial power South Vietnam would have fallen to he Communist very early on in the war. Another reason the Government being as successful as they were in keeping power was their fighting strategies and tactics, although to many people some of these strategies and tactics can seem harsh and inhumane they actually helped South Vietnam a lot in keeping their government up and running and it has been documented that North Vietnam’s war tactics/strategies were just as inhumane as the South. The South Vietnamese government along with the help of the Americans implemented five main war strategies and tactics. These include; Counterinsurgency, Combat Troops, Search and destroy, Chemical warfare and Pacification. Most of these were very successful on the battlefield and proved to keep some sort of stability in the government. The South Vietnamese government was sufficiently successful in their bid to keep power up until the Tet offensive in 1968. Although without the help of the American government the country would have failed to keep their power well before this. The tactics and strategies implemented by both governments defiantly helped keep the country afloat and rain in some sort of government stability.

Innocence in Daisy Miller, My Antonia, and the Great Gatsby Essay

Innocence in Daisy Miller by Henry James, My Antonia by Willa Cather and the Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. It is not as easy as it seems to distinguish who is innocent and who is not. Innocence is a cultural concept which is usually confusing. An act that is naà ¯ve and normal in one society can be a public disgrace in another. Then a question comes to mind: What is innocence? Challenging the norms of a society makes a person totally wicked? What spoils or preserves innocence? The word innocence is ambiguous. It has double vision because people put different masks on their faces for different occasions. Innocence is also one of the themes that can be focused on three American novels: Daisy Miller by Henry James, My Antonia by Willa Cather and the Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. These three books help the reader to see the other side of the medallion and they suggest that it is our prejudices and cultural differences which shape our view of others. To start with James' novella Daisy Miller, the reliability of the narrator can be discussed. Winterbourne, an American but a Europeanised man is told to be an "extremely amiable fellow, universally liked." Everything looks alright with him. There seems to be no way to discuss his honesty, his innocence can be discussed because he does not really try to help Daisy. He is only affected by her in a physical way. If he had a chance of flirting with Daisy, he would not miss that chance also he would not marry her. He regards her as an innocent, fresh, and young lady but also he thinks that he is common and unsophisticated Winterbourne is not together with Daisy all the time. This is why his reliability as a source can be discussed. He is confused by her and t... ... illusions. They live in a broken paradise. Their life is full of corruption, moral decadence, hypocrisy, abusive power of money and shattered dream. Theirs is a demoralized civilization. But their honesty and innocence are not only corrupted by inner forces but also by the environmental factors. They live in a time of excess. They are a lost generation and they are afraid of poverty and worship to success as Fitzgerald says. To conclude James and Cather's novel characters have similar qualities. The females do not look moderate but they have a pure heart. Fitzgerald, who criticizes the corruption of American dream -not the dream itself- satirically presents seemingly respectable but actually spoiled and lost characters. These three novels tell the reader not to judge people just by appearance and they allow people to gain a new perspective on human behavior.

The Reliability Validity And Utility Of Self Assessment Education Essay

IntroductionThis paper is a critical reappraisal of Ross ‘s paper in which he presents a reappraisal of a research done on the dependability, cogency and public-service corporation of self-assessment as a technique for bettering acquisition. In his findings Ross ( 2006 ) reported that ego appraisal produced consistent positive consequences in footings of raising pupil accomplishment and bettering behavior for larning. Harmonizing to the findings of the research it was found that strength in the usage of self-assessment was embedded in developing the pupils in the technique of measuring their ain work. The declared intent and purposes of Ross ‘s paper were to discourse four of import inquiries posed by instructors on the topic of ego appraisal. Stated below is the same set of inquiries which will organize the nucleus for the treatment in this paper: Is self appraisal a dependable appraisal technique? Does self-assessment supply valid grounds about pupil public presentation? Does self assessment better pupil public presentation? Is self appraisal a utile pupil appraisal technique? In this paper I argue that whereas these may be cardinal inquiries to instructors ( Ross, 2006 ) it is of import to take a critical expression at why they were found to be relevant to the topic of appraisal, why they were raised and who would profit from the consequence of their probe. I besides analyse the evidence-based averments made by Ross sing the topic of self-assessment and the literature he used to set up his findings. First I will get down by discoursing appraisal in general, what it is and what are its intents before I embark on the critical analysis of Ross ‘s work.The Purpose of AssessmentSchool and schooling is approximately assessment every bit much as it is about learning and larning. Black and William ( 1998a ) define appraisal in instruction as â€Å" all the activities that instructors and pupils likewise undertake to acquire information that can be used diagnostically to detect strengths and failings in the procedure of instruction and acquisition † ( Black and William, 1998a:12 ) . Appraisal can hence be a agency of public presentation motive for all stakeholders in the instruction system get downing from the pupil right to the policy shaper. Whereas appraisal in schools may function many intents, Black, ( 1998b ) amounts them up into three chief 1s viz. , support for acquisition, enfranchisement and answerability. The treatment throughout this paper nevertheless is confined to self-assessment as a formative signifier of appraisal with the chief aim of back uping pupils ‘ acquisition. Whilst Freeman and Lewis ( 1998 ) agree that appraisal in general can hold a large influence on students ‘ acquisition, paradoxically they accept that it can work against it ( the acquisition ) if instruction is done to the trial, ( i.e. with a focal point on go throughing trials ) while disregarding the significance and apprehension of the constructs. This, they reiterate, â€Å" tends to promote a inactive generative signifier of la rning † ( Lewis, 1998:7 ) which defeats the intent of appraisal. Ross ( 2006 ) points out at the oncoming of his paper that appraisal can be more of a stimulation to larning through suggestion and motive of pupils by manner of giving them regular pattern so they can see how good they are making in the acquisition results. Similarly, he asserts that giving prompt feedback on any trials done provides information that will assist scholars name their strengths and failings to assist them better their acquisition and apprehension of constructs. Consequently as Freeman ( 1998 ) suggests, affecting the scholars themselves through the usage of self- appraisal technique tends to assist them understand their failings better and help them in be aftering what to make following thereby taking duty of their ain acquisition. This is the cardinal subject in Ross ‘s paper and forms the measure by measure analytical reappraisal in this paper.Is Self-Assessment a dependable appraisal techn ique?Before turn toing the inquiries on self appraisal in this paper I will concentrate briefly on some of the literature by the advocates of self-assessment technique, such as Boud, ( 2004 ) , Orsmond, ( 2004 ) among others. In general footings, ego appraisal is what happens every clip we do something and look back in the act of oppugning or judging ourselves and doing determinations about what we have merely accomplished and what would be the following measure ( Boud, 2004 ) . Self appraisal means more than pupils rating their ain work. It means affecting the pupils in the procedures of finding what is good for their acquisition and how they can accomplish it. It requires them to see the features of a good piece of work and how they can use this to their ain work ( Boud, 2004 ; Orsmond, 2004 ) . Because the designation of criterions and standards used in self-assessment involves many activities, an effectual ego appraisal procedure will necessitate a great trade of readying if it will function the intent it is intended to make. This paper will turn to the issues raised in Ross ‘s paper ( Ross, 2006 ) sing the assorted facets of ego appraisal and its benefits to the pupils, instructors and parents. Self appraisal is any activity which entails the scholar instead than the instructor taking the lead, ( Brooks, 2002:8 ) . As asserted by Boud ( 1986 ) in Orsmond ( 2004 ) , it is the ‘involvement of scholars in placing criterions and/or standards to use to their work and doing opinions about the extent to which they have met these standards and criterions ‘ ( p.8 ) . Regardless of the fortunes, the most of import characteristic of self-assessment is ‘who assumes the lead and who benefits in the procedure ‘ ( Brooks, 2002:68 ) . Whereas Ross ( 2006 ) affirms that effectual self-assessment aid students to go better scholars, rising ego consciousness and intensifying their penetration into the appraisal procedure, this paper takes on the undertaking of placing the characteristics that make the procedure effectual, one of which is dependability, an issue that is about to be discussed in this paragraph. Reliability as used by Ross refers to ‘the consistence of the consequence produced by a measurement tool under different fortunes, ‘ ( p. 2 ) . Besides Walkin, ( 1991 ) describes dependability as â€Å" the extent to which an appraisal is systematically reliable and dependable when carried out by different assessors or by a individual assessor with different campaigners, or at different times of twenty-four hours and in different topographic points † ( p.10 ) . In this subdivision of the paper an effort will be made to associate these definitions and / or descriptions of dependability to the grounds provided in Ross ‘s paper sing the dependability of self appraisal. In the subsequent paragraphs, farther effort will be made to analyze the extent to which Ross used assorted bookmans to set up how self-assessment can be a dependable appraisal technique. Ross, ( 2006 ) introduced his paper by detecting that the bulk of instructors researched were found to be widely utilizing self-assessment although they still had uncertainties about the dependability of the technique. Harmonizing to Ross, ( 2006 ) these uncertainties centred on the possibility of two extremes go oning among the pupils. On the one manus it was found that pupils who were non good motivated and confused would hold a inclination of over-estimating and blow uping their accomplishment out of self involvement whilst on the other manus those who were regarded as ‘good childs ‘ underestimated their accomplishment. Whereas Ross, ( 2006 ) observed that this disagreement could perchance ensue in what he called a ‘construct-irrelevant discrepancy ‘ ( ibid. ) , which would most likely threaten the dependability of scaling, one would still oppugn the genuineness of the fortunes under which scholars are observed to be either ‘good childs ‘ or â⠂¬Ëœill-motivated and baffled. The inquiry of who sets the standards and who determines the good and bad scholars is an issue of contention as a possible deficiency of consistency in the acquisition environment and pupils ‘ failure to get by under different fortunes may ensue in one pupil ‘s good twenty-four hours to be a bad one for the other. Likewise pupils who fall in the weak class may happen themselves withdrawing into disenchantment to the hurt of their public presentation which in bend could impact the dependability of self-assessment. However, this paper will research further the construct of good pupils and low winners and the consequence it has on their public presentation in self appraisal. Establishing on Klenowski ‘s definition of ego appraisal ( Klenowski, 1995 in Ross, 2006 ) Ross describes the procedure as bearing a formative component which aims to better pupil acquisition. Sing dependability of self appraisal Ross found what he called a ‘high degree of internal consistence ‘ which typically refers to the ‘ability of the technique to give consistent consequences under different fortunes ‘ ( Walkin, 1991:10 ) . Ross ( 2006 ) used illustrations of consequences from his ain research coupled with that of other bookmans such as Rolheiser and Hogaboam-Gray ( 2002-b ) where they reported high ‘internal consistency ‘ in Mathematicss and English. Further grounds he cited was in connexion with consistency across undertakings, citing illustrations from Fitzgerald, Gruppen and White ( 2000 ) who examined self-assessment of medical pupils and found that a high degree of consistency existed in the pupils ‘ consequences across a scope of undertakings, and in peculiar indicating out public presentation in the ‘examination of standardised patients ‘ and ‘interpretation of trial consequences ‘ ( Ross ( 200 6: 4 ) . The frequence of appraisal is another factor Ross identified as holding a bearing on the dependability of self-assessment. Ross ( 2006 ) cites bookmans like Blatchford ( 1997 ) , whose research findings indicated that there was less consistence in the consequences of undertakings which were less often assessed, hence bespeaking less dependability. Likewise findings from a survey by Sung, Chiou and Hou ( 2005 ) revealed a greater dependability ( high consistency ) when the clip periods between appraisals is shorter. The age of the take parting pupils was another factor found to hold a bearing on the dependability of self-assessment. The reviewed research showed that the younger the pupils the less dependable were the consequences and likewise, there was a inclination for the older pupils to be more realistic in their attack to self-assessment of their public presentation, reflecting a higher degree of dependability ( ibid, in Ross 2006:3 ) . In reply to the inquiry whether self-assessment is a dependable appraisal technique, Ross ( 2006 ) used considerable sum of literature and backed his findings by evidence-based scholarly commendations runing from beyond a decennary to the most recent on the topic of appraisal. Consequently he summarised his findings on this inquiry by detecting that there was adequate grounds to back up self-assessment as a dependable technique. Notwithstanding, Ross ( 2006 ) emphasised that the degree of dependability tends to be higher when the pupils are decently trained to measure their work and it is done more often over short periods of clip. Similarly, it is less consistent when appraisal is done over longer periods and particularly so when done among younger kids. In his contemplations on dependability Ross makes no reference of inconsistence as a consequence of good or bad pupils but points to age as a mitigating factor, where immature kids can hold a less realistic attack to self-assessment . This paper will discourse farther grounds on the relevancy of Ross ‘s work to the topic of appraisal and in whose involvement it was published. In the undermentioned paragraph I present an analysis of Ross ‘s effort to turn to the inquiry of cogency of self-assessment technique.Does Self-Assessment supply valid grounds about pupil public presentation?Black, ( 1998 ) suggests that a trial is considered to be valid if it measures that which those who prepared it intended to mensurate. In his paper, Ross, ( 2006 ) defines cogency in self appraisal as â€Å" understanding with instructor opinion † or â€Å" peer rankings † ( p.3 ) . In other words cogency in self-assessment will be more obvious as we see how closely related the results of the triangulation procedure appear. Whereas Ross ‘s analysis of the research consequences done on 48 university pupils ( Boud and Falchikov, 1989 ) revealed positive consequences sing cogency, there was concern sing th e quality of the surveies. For case, it was found that there were unexplained fluctuations about what constituted understanding between the self-assessed and the instructor assessed consequence, the standards used by instructors and pupils was vague, every bit good as a â€Å" deficiency of reproductions affecting comparable group of pupil † ( ibid, p. 3 ) . Given the likely disagreements Ross gives several grounds why self-assessments can at times be higher than teacher evaluations. First he cites illustrations by some bookmans such as Aitchison, ( 1995 ) in which he mentions that overestimations are likely if the ego appraisal contributes to the concluding class of a class ( Boud and Falchikov, 1989, in Ross, 2006:3 ) . Second age of the take parting pupils was once more found to be a factor with a bearing to cogency in every bit much as it was with dependability of self-assessment as discussed in the preceding subdivision. It was found that the younger the kids the more likely it was for them to overrate their public presentation. This phenomenon was attributed to a possible deficiency of cognitive accomplishments every bit good as acquiring over ambitious in their accomplishments. Ross ( 2006 ) established this fact by doing mention to Butler ( 1990 ) , who found that self-teacher understanding increased at a higher rate of correlati vity with age. However Ross ( 2006 ) farther attributed a high rate of student-teacher understanding to preparation of the pupils in how to decently measure their work ( Ross et al, 1999 ; Sung et Al, 2005 ; in Ross, 2006 ) . In this regard Ross, ( 2006 ) established that facets such as â€Å" cognition of the content of the sphere in which the undertaking is embedded † ( ibid, p. 3 ) ; a cognition that self appraisal is traveling to be compared with instructor or peer evaluations ( Fox & A ; Dinur, 1998 ) ; and when the application of the standards involves low degree illations ( Pakaslahti & A ; Keltikangas -Jarvinen, 2000 ) ; were cardinal elements in the student-teacher understanding or the cogency of self-assessment technique. However, Ross, ( 2006 ) makes a elucidation that understanding between self-assessment and peer-assessment is likely to be higher than self-teacher understanding on the footing that pupils will usually construe appraisal standards otherwise from th e instructors, by perchance â€Å" concentrating on superficial characteristics of the public presentation † ( p. 3 ) . A higher rate of understanding between self-peer and self-teacher appraisal could besides be attributed to sympathetic inclinations between equals, overruling the echt intent of appraisal by overrating each other ‘s public presentation, which would adversely impact the cogency of the technique ( Walkin, 1991 ) . To turn to the grounds of cogency further, Ross ( 2006 ) makes mention to the advocates of assessment reform such as Wiggins et Al, ( 1993 ) who recommended that along with every major work pupils were to subject a self-assessment focusing on the perceptual experience of their public presentation, ( Ross, 2006:2 ) . This was to be done perchance to find the cogency of self appraisal in relationship to what Ross calls â€Å" understanding with an nonsubjective standard † ( ibid, p. 4 ) . Ross, ( 2006 ) cites the work of ( Cassady, 2001 ; Talento-Miller & A ; Peyton, 2006 ) who established that university pupils were likely to be more realistic in their self-assessment when using to graduate school under conditions where the ego studies would be checked against official paperss. In malice of such conditions nevertheless, Ross, ( 2006 ) points to the consequence of the survey which showed that even under rigorous conditions, it was found that high winners still gave accurate stud ies whilst low winners reported their appraisal less accurately and overestimated. Ross, ( 2006 ) attributed this to â€Å" likely societal desirableness or self-enhancement factors † ( Ross, 2006:4 ) . In his findings, Ross besides revealed that there were still some fluctuations to a certain grade within self-teacher understanding that could non be explained to the full, mentioning causal cases such as pupils ‘ inability to use assessment standards even in malice of preparation, pupils ‘ personal involvement, prejudice, and the possible undependability of instructor appraisals in relationship to student self-assessment. Ross concludes his treatment on the inquiry of cogency by admiting that there are disagreements revealed in the research he was reexamining. Nevertheless he submitted that such disagreements should be the stimulation for farther survey and reappraisal of the grounds embedded in pupils ‘ public presentation that might uncover the strengths and failings in their acquisition procedure so that they can be good addressed through improved instruction. This leads us to the thought of eventful cogency, the issue to be addressed in the following inquiry.Does self assessment better pupil public presentation?It was mentioned before in this paper that self-assessment is a signifier of formative appraisal, which meant that it is a technique which aims at bettering larning. The old subdivision has addressed the inquiry of cogency and it has been really clearly stated that a valid appraisal is one that contributes to a pupil ‘s acquisition by mensurating those accomplishments and/or cog nition it is designed to mensurate. In other words if the assessment tool does non concentrate on proving larning so it fails in its intent to help acquisition and can non be regarded as valid, harmonizing to the definitions by Black, ( 1998 ) and Ross, ( 2006 ) . This is what Ross calls ‘consequential cogency, ‘ ( Ross 2006:4 ) in which he argues that the worth of a trial is determined by its effects for the scholars, asseverating that inclusion of effects as a dimension of trial cogency was found to be a cardinal component in of self-assessment reform ( ibid ) . In add-on to bettering acquisition, Ross, ( 2006 ) besides pointed out another facet of ego appraisal that was straight concerned with the pupils ‘ ego efficaciousness and a stronger desire to accomplish as provided in the work of Hughes, Sullivan, & A ; Mosley, ( 1985 ) in Ross, ( 2006 ) . Other bookmans like Fontana and Fernandez, ( 1994 ) provided grounds that pupils could execute better in topics like Mathematicss when ego appraisal was used as one of the schemes to increase pupils ‘ acquisition. To heighten public presentation and increase the eventful cogency of the technique, Ross, ( 2006 ) identified the schemes of learning pupils in self-assessment technique. These included the direct engagement of pupils in specifying the appraisal standards, citing an illustration where pupils can take part in the constructing of a rubric that expresses public presentation outlooks ( ibid, p. 5 ) . Ross further reviewed some of the schemes used to learn pupils in using the self -assessment standards, observing that giving prompt feedback on self-assessment and prosecuting the pupils in evidence-based treatments of the fluctuations between their self-assessed public presentation and that of their equals and instructors, besides referred to as triangulation, ( Black,1998 ) contributed greatly to improved acquisition. It was besides observed that pupils would profit from instructors ‘ aid in utilizing the appraisal informations to develop realistic action programs both short and long term to get the better of their failings ( ibid, p.5 ) . Ross et Al, ( 1999 ) reported that a sample group of pupils were trained in these schemes, when they tried on the self-assessment technique to prove their acquisition ; they outperformed their equals who had non received similar preparation in topics like mathematics and geographics ( Ross 2006 ) . Positive consequences of self-assessment were besides reported in non-academic activities. A reappraisal of pupils Ã¢â‚¬Ë œ ego appraisal in countries of behavior inside and outside the schoolroom showed that behavior had improved as a consequence of being given a self appraisal tool to supervise their tendency of behavior and fiting it with their ain action programs. It was reported that consistency in the usage of the tool contributed to the pupils ‘ high autonomy, increased positive interactions and there was grounds of a diminution in riotous and off-task behavior ( ibid ) . Notwithstanding, Ross identified a few of the negative results that were associated with self-assessment. An analysis of the interview informations conducted by Ross et Al, ( 2002 ) in a class 11 mathematics schoolroom revealed that self-assessment contributed to an increased loss of assurance among the lower winners and that they gave up seeking after all while others resolved to acquire out of the hard lessons all together. Ross, ( 2006 ) attributed this to what he calls â€Å" ego-protecting attempt decrease † ( p. 5 ) . Ross backs up his study on the effects of self-assessment by prosecuting Bandura, ( 1997 ) on what he calls the â€Å" societal knowledge theory, † which fundamentally explains the conditional relationships between self-efficacy beliefs and outcome outlooks. Bandura, ( 1997 ) elaborates on this theory that in given spheres of operation, self-efficacy beliefs vary in degree, strength, and generalization ( ibid ) . However, he emphasises that â€Å" t he results of a procedure such as self appraisal can take the signifier of positive or negative physical, societal, and self-evaluation effects † ( Bandura, 1997:22 ) . Ross, ( 2006 ) emphasised that self-assessment contributed to ‘self-efficacy beliefs ‘ or ‘the pupil ‘s perceptual experience of their ability to execute the actions required of them in similar hereafter enterprise ‘ ( p. 6 ) ; using the construct that if the present undertakings are performed to their full satisfaction, pupils would be more likely to win in future undertakings ( Bandura, 1997 ) . Ross explores farther the inquiry of whether or non self-assessment improves the pupils ‘ public presentation, by supplying more scholarly grounds reappraisal in his paper. Based on Bandura ‘s apprehension of self-assessment and increased self-efficacy beliefs, Ross, ( 2006 ) established that pupils with greater assurance in their ability to carry through the mark undertaking are more likely to visualize success than failure, because they set higher criterions of public presentation and set out to accomplishing them ‘ ( p.6 ) . This introduces the ipsative component in the technique of self-assessment where a pupil is viing against himself or herself. As asserted by Bandura, ( 1997 ) pupils will expose a considerable self way in the face of competition, but in the instance of self-assessment pupils would be comparing against their ain public presentations, thereby puting their ain realistic ends for their hereafter achievements. Continuity and assurance improve the attempt displayed in the public presentation which in bend influences positive results. Failure in one undertaking becomes a stimulation for the good pupils motivating them to farther action. Pertinent to improved public presentation through the procedure of self-assessment therefore is the component of self-efficacy, ( Bandura, ( 1997 ) , self-confidence and attempt ( Ross, 2006 ) . Notwithstanding, the inquiry of placing some pupils as holding high of these qualities while another group has less or none at all demands to be addressed. Could it be related to the social-economic place environment, or could it be attributed to a tendency of failing developed during the school modus operandi? Whichever manner it is deserving look intoing at the right point in clip and non merely settle with the cognition that there are weak and strong childs in school. When all stairss as suggested by Ross ( 2006 ) have been taken and pupils are trained to give them a sense of intent in the usage of self-assessment technique why would one fail to accomplish more positive consequences? In a normal population nevertheless, fluctuations in perceptual experience are likely to impact public presentation and hence results tend to change as a consequence. So there will be pupils with low self-efficacy who will comprehend failure as enfeebling grounds that they are incapable of finishing t heir ain set undertakings and hence give up. Ross, ( 2006 ) reiterated this fact farther from his happening that repeated negative self-assessment may take to pupils puting unrealistic ends, following uneffective acquisition techniques which in bend affect the attempt they put into their work. Finally they start doing alibis for their underperformance and sometimes taking to withdrawal. On the whole nevertheless, Ross, ( 2006 ) found plenty scholarly grounds to demo that self-assessment will further an upward rhythm of larning as demonstrated by the surveies that found positive results of self-assessment. I will reason this subdivision with an lineation of three ways through which Ross found self-assessment to be lending to larning. Ross ‘s analysis of the scholarly work of Schunk ( 1996 ) found these to be among the procedures that self-acting pupils use to detect and construe their ain behavior: They were, Self-observation – self-acting pupils will intentionally concentrate on specific facets of their public presentation related to their ain set criterions of success, with a position to better acquisition ( Ross, 2006: 6 ) . Self-judgements – pupils make self opinions in which they determine how good they think they have met their general and specific ends besides by comparing present with past results in relationship to the specific set ends ( ibid. ) . Self-reaction – how the pupils interpret and respond to the grade of accomplishment of their set ends, an indicant of how satisfied they may be with the consequence of their actions. Self-reaction plays a major portion in puting realistic ends for future acquisition every bit good as a major determiner of the pupils ‘ patterned advance rhythm ( ibid. ) . Harmonizing to Ross ‘s findings, these elements can merely be achieved and to the full exploited through strict preparation which focuses on peculiar facets of the pupils ‘ public presentation ( Ross, 2006:6 ) . Ross justified his averments by mentioning illustrations of the facets of the pupils ‘ public presentation he referred to, such as the dimensions of a co-constructed rubric and redefining the standard pupils use to find whether they were successful or non, and by measuring teacher feedback to reenforce reading of their public presentation ( ibid. ) . Ross ‘s averment on these influences of self assessment preparation was that they would â€Å" increase the likeliness that pupils will construe their public presentation as a command experience, the most powerful beginning of ego efficaciousness † harmonizing to Bandura, ( 1997 ) as cited in Ross ( 2006:6 ) .Is self appraisal a utile pupil appraisal technique?The inquiry of whether ego appraisal is a utile pupil appraisal technique can outdo be addressed by first of all concentrating on what it does for the pupil. Black, ( 1998 ) gives both practical and cardinal grounds for affecting pupils in the appraisal of their ain work. Among these he mentions the practical component of acquiring them do some of the work themselves which, harmonizing to Black, ( 1998 ) allows the instructors the chance to transport through the programme of formative appraisal. Second, Black points to a more cardinal ground that self assessment enhances the student-teacher relationship, as it makes the learner take â€Å" duty of their ain acquisition † ( p. 127 ) . As stated at the beginning of Ross ‘s paper, ( Ross, 2006 ) research has shown that the impression of affecting pupils in measuring their ain work has in the past been met with assorted feelings. Some of the grounds mentioned by bookmans such as Brooks, ( 2002 ) and Boud, ( 2004 ) relate to a deficiency of apprehension of the nature of the technique, and failure to implement it right in schools. Harmonizing to Brooks, ( 2002 ) pupils who carried a negative attitude to self-assessment did so because they found it hard to hold on the thought that they could transport out appraisal of their work to back up their ain acquisition. An analysis of the survey by Broadfoot et Al, ( 1998 ) as cited in Brooks, ( 2002 ) reported that ‘because pupils had small or no penetration into the appraisal standard, or how instructors reached assessment opinions, they merely guessed what they thought instructors would believe of their work, which defeated the whole intent of self-assessment. Ha rmonizing to the grounds provided in this paper and holding reviewed Ross ‘s work at that place is no uncertainty that ego appraisal is a utile technique for pupils when they are decently trained in its significance and its execution. As Boud, ( 2004 ) would set it, the specifying feature of self-assessment is â€Å" aˆÂ ¦the engagement of pupils in placing criterions and/or standards to use to their work and doing opinions about the extent to which they have met these standards and criterions. † ( Boud 1991, p.5 as cited in Boud, 2004 ) In the paragraphs that follow, I will show a critical analysis of Ross ‘s findings about the strengths and failings of self-assessment technique which he reviewed in an effort to warrant why the technique is utile for pupils.Strengths of self-assessmentRoss, ( 2006 ) addresses the inquiry of utility of the technique to a greater grade, utilizing bookmans like Hughes et Al, ( 1985 ) ; Schunk, ( 1996 ) ; Sparks, ( 1991 ) , to turn out that ego appraisal is a utile technique. These provide plenty grounds to demo that self appraisal contributes to student achievement peculiarly if instructors provide the direct direction in how to self-assess. Evidence is provided in an analysis of his ain work ( Ross et al, 1999 ; 2002-a ; 2005 ) as cited in Ross, ( 2006 ) that ego appraisal contributes to better pupil behavior ‘ ( p.7 ) . Further analysis of Ross ‘s evidence-based findings revealed more benefits of self-assessment and why it was found to be utile: First it was reported that pupils found the technique utile because they gained a better apprehension of what they were supposed to make as they were involved in puting the standards for the appraisal. Second, because the technique enabled them to include of import public presentation dimensions such as attempt that would non usually be considered in appraisal. The 3rd benefit harmonizing to Ross findings was that self appraisal allowed the pupils to pass on information such as ends and aims sing their public presentation. The 4th and last of the benefits in Ross ‘s analysis was that pupils found self appraisal to be utile because it gave them information they could utilize to better their work. ( Ross et al. , 1998 as cited in Ross, 2006 ) . The 4th benefit is possible because of the ipsative nature of self appraisal mentioned earlier in this paper, which provides pupils with the chance to concentrate on their attainment, instead that the normative comparing with others as it helps them concentrate on how to better their ain work. Beside the pupils Ross, ( 2006 ) besides reviewed research findings about how instructors benefited from the effectual usage of self appraisal technique. The research established that doing the appraisal standards explicit to the pupils helped the instructors to separate indispensable from less of import characteristics of pupil public presentation and as a consequence they would be more focussed in their instruction. It was besides established that teacher-student conferences held as a follow up of self appraisal would assist to work out any disagreements that may be between self-teacher appraisal and that this might give instructors farther insight into the pupils ‘ thought and in peculiar aid to press out the misconceptions that prevent their farther acquisition. Ross, ( 2006 ) acknowledges that there was small information sing parents ‘ reaction to self appraisal ; nevertheless he asserts that if the building of the rubrics is done good and in clear linguistic communi cation, it will run into the ends of the course of study which will indicate to the involvements of the parents.Some noted failings of self-assessment.Ross, ( 2006 ) pointed out the figure one concern for instructors sing self appraisal was the fright that sharing control of appraisal with pupils would take down criterions and reward pupils who inflate their appraisal ( p.7 ) . However if instructors implemented the recommendations as provided in Ross ‘s work by affecting pupils in the whole procedure including the scene of the appraisal standard, and pupils were decently trained in what and how to measure I do non see this as a justifiable cause for fright. Second, a deficiency of understanding between self-teacher appraisals is another failing Ross references which could be attributed to either mistakes of artlessness, or inability on the portion of the pupils to construe the appraisal standard. Ross, ( 2006 ) nevertheless found the greatest instructor concern to be what he called â€Å" grade sharks † which harmonizing to him pupils would deliberately blow up their accomplishment by lying about their attempt or misusing the standard ( Ross 2006:8 ) . However, as already explained in the inquiry that dealt with what self appraisal does for the pupil, such instances will be stray incidents that can non significantly impact a good enforced procedure with co-jointly constructed rubrics between instructor and pupils. Another failing of the technique is that some pupils will happen it unjust on them as some of the pupils will take advantage of it and tag everything as perfect even though it may non ( p.8 ) . But once more is n't it this what instructor appraisal and teacher-student follow-up conferences are for, to seek and chair the pupils ‘ appraisal every bit good as set clear and realistic ends? To sum up the failings found Ross ( 2006 ) noted that there was concern among instructors about parents ‘ reactions to self appraisal, claimi ng that pupils should non be making the work instructors are meant to be making.DecisionBefore the decision of his reappraisal of the research conducted on the dependability cogency and public-service corporation of self appraisal technique, Ross, ( 2006 ) first gives a comprehensive history of his findings about the ways which can do self appraisal more utile. To get down with he admits that no sum of research will convert the instructors who are skeptic about the truth of the technique. However he outlines four dimensions through which harmonizing to his findings betterment in the public-service corporation of self appraisal can be achieved. First Ross, ( 2006 ) found that affecting pupils in the procedure of specifying the standard will travel a long manner to better the dependability and cogency of the procedure if the rubric addressed issues of competency familiar to pupils every bit good as include public presentation characteristics that pupils find meaningful and of import to them. Ross, ( 2006 ) agreed with Rolheiser, ( 1996 ) that in so making â€Å" instructors need non give up control of assessment standards but instead ordain a procedure in which pupils develop a deeper apprehension of cardinal outlooks, mandated by regulating course of study guidelines † ( Rolheiser, 1996 in Ross, 2006:8 ) . Second, the component of learning pupils in the application of the appraisal standard was found to lend greatly to the credibleness of the appraisal and pupil apprehension of the rubric. Third Ross, ( 2006 ) found that feedback of information to pupils sing their ego appraisal would organize a procedure of triangul ation between the pupil, his or her equal and the instructor ‘s appraisal of the same work utilizing the same standards, which would give more weight to the cogency and the concluding analysis in the procedure of appraisal. Fourth component was that with the aid from instructors, pupils would be able to utilize self appraisal informations to better their public presentation. On this issue, Ross found that edification in treating informations improved with age, citing an illustration in Ross et Al, ( 2002 ) where he found that when older pupils discussed appraisals with their equals and parents they focussed more on grounds of accomplishment and how to better public presentation, whereas immature 1s were more concerned with overall classs ( Ross 2006 ) . It was besides found that older pupils could utilize current accomplishment in comparing with past accomplishments to put specific, come-at-able and realistic ends concentrating on near terminals ( ibid, p. 9 ) . The review of this focal point work by Ross ( 2006 ) can be concluded by detecting that he engaged a batch of literature in his effort to supply replies to the four basic inquiries which are cardinal to the treatment in this paper. He noted that much of the research he reviewed was conducted on pupils measuring their work without equal interpretive counsel and he argued that cogency in self-assessment would increase if there was equal teacher-student duologue focusing on the standards of judging the grounds of public presentation. Whilst Ross, ( 2006 ) argues that there is sufficient grounds from his research reappraisal to reply the four basic inquiries which were raised by instructors at the beginning of his survey, there is grounds that his ain findings in surveies conducted earlier ( Ross et al, 2002 ) besides provide farther ground to warrant that these inquiries were important to the reader and shows why they are relevant to the topic of appraisal. In add-on to the reappraisal of other bookmans ‘ work Ross, ( 2006 ) asserts from his ain survey that â€Å" psychometric belongingss of self appraisal suggest that it is a dependable appraisal technique, capable of bring forthing consistent consequences across points, undertakings, and contexts over short clip periods † ( p. 9 ) . Ross ‘s findings on the elements of dependability, cogency and public-service corporation of self appraisal and how these can be implemented as presented in this paper are some of the convincing grounds why I believe that the four basic inquiries raised by instructors have been addressed with satisfaction in Ross ‘s paper. Last, Ross ‘s bibliography and other scholarly work cited provide adequate grounds that the literature engaged was by experts in the field of educational appraisal and it can be trusted as relevant for intents of this paper. ( 5876 )

Gun Control Argumentative Essay

I stumbled over an argumentative article that at first, I did not understand completely. After doing a little research over the topic the author was discussing I quickly connected to his concern for her current children, as well as other children nationwide. What I learnt during my research is about the â€Å"Common Core Standards† that hundreds of thousands of schools follow and teach each year. She set her tone early in the paper so the reader could get an emotional stance on her position. Most common to side with the â€Å"non-common core standard† group is the mothers and fathers of children that are enrolled in many different schools. Whether it’s public or private, and religious or non-religious; each following one of the two choices they have. They can teach the Common Core Standards, or have a choice of what they believe each child will be able to keep up with. Each and every child is different, none are exactly the same. In saying that there is no possible way that the common core is an effective and well established standard for schools to follow. What one child can grasp easily and quickly may take another child longer and need another method of learning and studying in order to be as well knowledgeable as the first student. Others believe that the Common Core Standards are needed for schools to teach ids what they will need to be successful in their future. They see each child as someone that can study and try harder if they are not caught up with the other children, for they are all alike in their learning ways and don’t need special care when learning complicated material. As I see it, when they see a child that struggles in school should try harder or else they will fail, and that’s the end of it. No help to the struggling student or help towards the student that they should want to succeed and thrive in their future. She starts her opinion with a real-life experience that many can relate to. Whether its parents or grandparents they have tried their hardest to give their children what they thought was best. She tells us about how she has sent her 2 daughters through many schools, that have failed to provide her  daughters with the education she believed was right. They (the school) believed that every student was able to learn and act upon that learning in the same ways. She searched and searched through religious schools, private schools, and public schools; until she found one that believed in the power of the student. They moved from the east coast to Colorado where her daughters were enrolled in a school that allowed the girls to escape the corrupted, dumbed-down curriculum of an overpriced private girls’ school. She uses some examples of mothers that have started home-schooling their children for the sole purpose to get away from the Common core standard, they believe that they will be able to teach their children better than any teacher or school can because they can teach at the pace of the child. Therefore, the children learn in a way that is better for them and will expand the knowledge that they gain throughout their school years. She uses quotes from a mother that is also in her shoes to prove to people that this is a concern that has spread throughout our nation and is making parent take action to change the problem our children face every day Michelle states that â€Å"We were blessed to find a community of parents and public school educators in Colorado Springs who embrace high standards, academic excellence and strong character education for students of every race, creed and class,† she uses words and examples that are easy to understand and comprehend to even the simplest o f minds. All in all Michelle used real-life situations that weren’t only easy to relate to, but also to show her point of view easily and clearly. Imagine what the world would be like if everyone were to respond to the message Michelle is sending to us. Teachers would base their lesson plans on each individual student, pushing for that student to thrive in their studies and achieve what they know they can do. To plan studies that would work best with the students learning abilities. The school would look at the student as an individual, not as the whole student body as the same person. They would stray from thinking that no one is different from another on their learning abilities. Race, ethnicity and social status would not play a part in the education or outcome of each student’s achievements within the school. If no one pays attention to the message Michelle is sending to schools, teachers, and parents around our country; nothing will change. The education of our children, grandchildren, and great great grandchildren will struggle to  learn the material our government thinks they need to know, and learn how they think every student can learn. Our government controls many aspects of our live and environment, why let they control the way we learn and what we learn. They don’t know each individual personally, they have no knowledge on our learning abilities and the struggles we will face with learning certain material throughout our school years. Our educational departments in our nation will only decrease throughout the year if nothing is changed about our educational aspects in children’s lives. Michele did an excellent job on drawing the reader in with a personal story, kudos on the ethos. She wanted people to feel the pain her and her daughters felt throughout their years in school. Struggling with the materials because their teachers neglected to teach in a way that would be more suitable to their learning abilities, which would lead to higher test scores and higher colleges. Her tone, I believe, was perfectly out into this paper. Not to forward to the reader but was easily established in the paper so the reader could identify which side you were defending and the points you would be making throughout the paper. I think that her personal experiences, knowledge, and research are what made her opinion convincing. Knowing that she knew what she was talking about and could answer questions on this topic if need be was very reassuring that she knew her topic well enough to write an opinionated paper in a way to sway even the toughest cookie to her side.

The secrets of happiness Essays - Emotions, Positive Mental Attitude

The secrets of happiness Essays - Emotions, Positive Mental Attitude The secrets of happiness By 1There is a paradox at the heart of our civilisation. Individuals want more income. Yet as society has got richer, people have not become happier. Over the past 50 years we have got better homes, more clothes, longer holidays and, above all, better health. Yet surveys show clearly that happiness has not increased in the US, Japan, Continental Europe or Britain. 2By happiness I mean feeling good enjoying life and feeling it is wonderful. And by unhappiness I mean feeling bad and wishing things were different. Most people find it easy to say how good they are feeling, and in social surveys such questions get 99 per cent response rates much higher than the average. [] 3It is true that, within any particular society at any particular moment, rich people are on average happier than poorer ones. For example, 41 per cent of people in the top quarter of incomes are very happy, compared with only 26 per cent of those in the bottom quarter of incomes. The problem is that, over the years, the proportions in each group who are very happy have not changed at all although the real incomes in each group have risen hugely. This is true of all the main western countries. 4We also know that clinical depression, assessed professionally through population surveys, has risen in most countries. A survey from London Universitys Institute of Education, out this month, shows that as many as 29 per cent of women aged 30 in 2000 reported suffering trouble with nerves or feeling low, depressed or sad; the comparable figure in a similar survey, among those aged 36 in 1982, was just 16 per cent. Researchers disagree over the size of the increase, but nobody believes depression has diminished, despite the much greater ease of our material life. 5Further evidence comes from comparisons between different countries. These show that, where average income per person is less than $15,000 a year - in other words, where many people are near the breadline - extra money really does make people happier. But comparing countries where average income is above that level, happiness seems to be independent of income. For example, the average American is much richer than the average Icelander or Dane, but also less happy. 6Why is this? Clearly people are comparing their income with some norm and this norm is rising all the time. Thus from 1946-86, the US Gallup poll asked people, What is the smallest amount of money that a family of four needs to get along in this community? It turns out that, as actual average incomes rose, so did the income that people felt was needed and in fact this needed income grew in direct proportion to actual income. Likewise, when people were asked Are you satisfied with your financial position?, the proportion who said they were pretty well satisfied fell, despite enormous economic growth. 7Two things drive up the norm with which people compare their incomes. One is the income that they themselves have experienced - which habituates them to higher standards of living. And the other is the income that others get, and which they try to rival or outdo. 8Habituation is a basic psychological phenomenon. It works both up and down: you adjust to good things and to bad. The clearest evidence that you adjust to income comes from asking people with different levels of actual income what income they would consider satisfactory. Typically, the income that people say is satisfactory rises by almost 50p for every extra pound that they have actually acquired. A whole range of studies shows that people adjust their requirements to their recent experience and that they are constantly surprised by this. People overestimate the extent to which the new house or new car will, once they have got used to it, make them happier. 9People also adjust their requirements in response to what other people have: keeping up with (or trying to outdo) the Joneses. [] When people compare their wages, it is generally with people close to themselves, rather than with film stars or paupers. What matters is what happens to your reference group because what your reference group gets might have been feasible for you, while what David Beckham

Analysis of Anselms Ontological Argument

This premise does not state that God’s strengths as this argument is to prove his existence, not whether or not God is all-powerful, all-knowing and all-good. The second premise means this greatest possible being is either an imaginary being that one has thought of or, a being that we not only is not only thought of but also exists. The third premise and its sub premises states because existing in reality is greater than existing in thought, then the God we have thought of exists in reality or there must be a greater, or more perfect, being that does exist and that being is God. This leads to the conclusion, if you accept the premises then you accept the existence of the greatest being possible, God. This concept of God’s existence is also led with the idea that God is a necessary being, a being that is not dependent of something greater in order to exist. If God relied on another being, like how a children rely on parents to conceive them, then this being called God is not God because it would be imperfect. Therefore, there must be another to call God that meets all the requirements for perfection. One of the first popular objections was created by Gaunilo of Marmoutiers. The premise and conclusion to Gaunilo’s argument is identical to Anselm’s argument except with the replacement of the word â€Å"God† with â€Å"the Lost island† and the word â€Å"being† with â€Å"island†. As simple as that, though Gaunilo’s argument is completely absurd, Gaunilo’s reductio ad absurdum also proves to be as deductively valid as Anselm’s argument. However, this â€Å"Lost Island† could in no way exist. The absurdity and validity of â€Å"the lost island† quickly brought up questions as to how Anselm’s Argument cannot be absurd. Anselm’s argument was not proven invalid until Immanuel Kant, a german philosopher during the 18th century, proposed an objection that would be the decisive blow to the Ontological argument (Immanuel Kant. Wiki). Kant’s objection is how existence is not a predicate (Mike, screen 25). A predicate is used to describe something the subject (this being God in Anselm’s Argument) is doing. In Aselm’s Argument, Anselm premise rely on that being conceived and existing in reality is something that describes God. This rationality does not follow because to exist or conceive does not describe the subject, it only tells us whether it exist or not. Much like how fictional characters do not exist, describing cartoon for example would tell us details of what this cartoon looks like, what its habits are and common antics it goes through, but not whether it exists or not. The question of existence must fall in a separate argument that does not define the character. As there are Arguments to prove God, there are debatable arguments to disprove the God. The First version of â€Å"The Argument from Evil† goes as follow: 1. If God were to exist, then that being would be all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-good. 2. If an all-PKG existed, then there would be no evil. . There is evil. [Conclusion] Hence, there is no God (Sober, 109) The first premise is the definition of what God would be if he were to exist. That is a being that has the power to do anything, had knowledge of everything throughout the span of time and is in all ways good. The second premise is created with the first premise in mind. To expand on the second premise i t states, if God were all-powerful he could stop any form of evil from happening, if he is all knowing then he has knowledge of when evil will occur and if he is all-good then God would stop all evil from happening. If god cannot stop all evil from happening then the definition of God must be incorrect. He then must not be powerful enough to stop all evil, and/or he doesn’t know when evil until it has already occurred and/or good is not all good in that God does not wish to stop all evils. The third premise is stating the fact that there is evil in the world. The conclusion derived since that there is evil, then is what may be defined as God must be lacking in one or two of his qualities and therefore God, by definition, does not exist at all. In order for God to be compatible with evil, God must only allow the evils that would, in turn, lead to a greater amount of good and must take the route that leads to the least amount of evil to gain the greatest amount of good. The soul building defense was created in mind that evil and God co-exist in our world. The defense is that without any evil in the world, our souls would not nurture, or, understand the concept of evil. This defense does not hold true because there has been many evils in the world that seem unacceptable, even though it may have been for the purpose of soul building. God, and all-good being, would then only allow the evils that are essential in soul-building. This would only mean that evil that man commits against man. The reason for this is because anything that happens in nature exceeds soul-building essentials. Another defense is God having given us free will, humans ultimately are the causes of this evil. That is true but the common objection to this is that human do more than enough evil to ourselves, it is going too far to have God throw tornados, volcanic eruptions, and hurricanes at us too. At what point do human have such control over nature. The last defense is that God simply works in mysterious ways. Who can explain why natural events take so many lives and injure many others or why some children have to go through great deals of suffering and live through it? It is God’s way and ultimately, no matter how incomprehensible the evil is, it is for the greater good. Certainly the question to God’s existence has been pondered upon by philosophers for over a very long period of time with no progress as whether God exists or not. The ontological argument created by Anselm withstood a great deal of criticism until it was disproved by Kant over 600 years after the fact.

Colosseum as an enormous triumphal monument Essay

Colosseum as an enormous triumphal monument - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that building of the Colosseum started under Emperor’s Vespasian rule around the 70-72 AD. This construction was funded by the spoils that were retrieved from the Jewish Temple after Jerusalem was taken over. The location chosen in constructing the Colosseum was a flat region on the floor of a valley amid the Palatine, Esquiline, and Caelian Hills., all the way through which a canalized watercourse ran. By the second century, this area was densely populated. The Great Fire of Rome devastated the area in AD 64. After the occurrence of this event, Nero grabbed a bigger part of the area adding a lot to his personal domain. Nero built the grandiose Domus Aurea on the location, creating a man-made lake that had pavilions, porticoes, and gardens surrounding it. The Aqua Claudia that existed was extended in supplying water to the locality and the gigantic bronze, Nero’s Colossus was mounted nearby at the Domus Aurea entrance. Even th ough the Colossus was conserved, to a great extent of the Domus Aurea was taken down. The land was used again as an area for the latest Flavian Amphitheatre and the lake was filled. Gladiatorial schools and various support buildings were developed nearby within the Domus Aurea former grounds. As stated in reconstructed writing found at the location, â€Å"emperor Vespasian ordered this new amphitheater to be erected from his general’s share of the booty.† This is believed to refer to the immense treasure the Romans seized after they won the Great Jewish revolt in the 70 AD.