Was the Vietnam War Winnable

Was the Vietnam War Winnable? The war in Vietnam waged by America was unwinnable through the type of warfare that was used by the US . If they had concentrated on certain key aspects they may have prevented the spread of communism to South Vietnam and achieved their ultimate goal. Americas inability to obtain the â€Å"Hearts and Minds â€Å"of the Vietnamese led to a continual supply of fighters. The US was unable to fight against an ever-increasing civilian army. In Vietnam the US relied tremendously on their advanced and superior firepower to defeat the Vietcong and the ARVN.There technology and training was inadequate in the foreign Vietnamese terrain. The Vietnamese were allied to other communist nations, if their defeat was too humiliating they may have escalated the cold war to a hot war. America was not supported by the people of Vietnam in their efforts to rid South Vietnam of â€Å"evil’ communism, even before the war began. This is one vital area the Americans fa iled. Their â€Å"Hearts and Minds† operation that begun years before the official beginning, of the war, was short-lived. The People of Vietnam considered â€Å"U. S. Diem is using fascist violence to provoke war, contrary to the will of the people and therefore must certainly be defeated† ( Le Duan, 1956). The hatred Vietnam had of outsiders trying to control them was spurred by years of colonisation by the French before the War started. This became a major setback as it was not corrected before the US attacked the communists. The angered civilians refused to cooperate with the Americans and this was one of their largest setbacks during the war. American soldiers entered Vietnam believing themselves to be fighting for the Vietnamese people protecting them from the â€Å"evils† of communism. he Vietnamese resisted the Americans believing them to be disrupting their peace. This infuriated the solders causing them to lash out at the locals. They had â€Å"raped, cut off ears, cut off heads, taped wires from portable telephones to human genitals and turned up the power, cut off limbs, blown up bodies, randomly shot at civilians, razed villages in fashion reminiscent of Genghis Khan†( Kerry, 1971). The civilians retaliated by aiding the Viet Cong eventually joining them. This continued over the span of the war thereby creating an ever-increasing number of People fighting against the Americans.Americas inability to attain the â€Å"Hearts and Minds† of the Vietnamese population led to a constantly growing opposition ensuring that for every one â€Å"gook† the Americans killed there were always 2 more to replace him. No matter how many casualties USA inflicted on Vietnam the continuous supply of people would eventually beat the policy restricted US. ‘You can kill 10 of my men for everyone I kill of yours, but in the end I will win and you will lose†. American did not have the people of Vietnam backing them. To t he Vietnamese they were intruders who murdered their families forcing the people of Vietnam to fight back.The Vietnamese’s refusal to cooperate with America prompted backlash from the solders. The Vietnamese’s responded with even more resistance to the US. This chain reaction fuelled the hatred the Vietnamese had for America. The USA was extremely vain when going to war in Vietnam. They had extreme firepower. With a few weeks notice at the time, had the power to turn Vietnam into a region of radioactive glass. The US’s strategy of search and destroy conflicted directly with the Vietnamese’s strategy of hanging onto their belts (caplan,2012).Unlike previous American victories against Japan and Germany, massive American bombing of enemy cities and use of heavy artillery would not be as effective. The Viet Cong used a guerrilla warfare which did not allow the use of American artillery and bombs to kill them. The dense jungle fighting created low visibility f rom the air, which made it hard for the United States to utilize their far superior weapons. America dropped seven million tons of bombs on North Vietnam and the neighboring countries of Laos and Cambodia United States air forces only dropped 2. 2 million tons of ordnance in the largest war in history, WW2 .America dropped over ,three times more bombs, but it was still not effective enough to defeat North Vietnam. The US strategy of destroying enemy troops and supplies faster than they can reproduce them was not a viable strategy. The Vietnamese who had been fighting for independence for hundreds of years and were not about to give up. The US, at that time relied on their extremely advanced technology to combat the Vietnamese. This failed as the Vietnam is covered in dense jungle which rendered the Americans fighting style useless, they were accustomed to fighting in larger open areas instead of dense jungle and narrow city treets. Vietnam not only had an almost infinite number of p eople but also was supplied by both the Soviets and the Chinese. The Chinese were essential in North Vietnams eventual unification of Vietnam. They provided military experts to advise generals in decision making large amounts of military equipment and eventually solders to aid their war efforts against the South. This not only supplemented their strength but was also a separate major threat for USA. China and the Soviets being communist aimed at spreading communism around the world directly clashed with USA’s policy of preventing the spread of communism.The most successful part in America’s strategy was operation â€Å"Rolling Thunder† which was a large amount of bombings over Vietnam. This was the most successful of all American tactics. It incapacitated their enemy around 1972. Even though the most bombs in history, were dropped over Vietnam, America still feared the Chinese’s. If they hit too hard with the bombings on Vietnam their communist allies may involve themselves turning the cold war that they fought through Vietnam and other smaller nations into a hot war with Mutually Assured Destruction for the entire world.Had they continued the routine bombings and adjusted their fighting styles accordingly they may have triumphed in this conflict. The Vietnam war may have been winnable if the United States had focused more on re-educating the local people of Vietnam had adjusted their stratergy to fit the type of warfare and terrain in South Vietnam. They would have had to defeat the communists subtley to avoid humiliating the Chinees ans Soviets. Unfortunately the Americans â€Å"plunged boldly into the thick† of Vietnam without careing to attin the hearts and minds of its people.They fought against the natural terrain instead of adapting to it which was highly advantageous to the Vietnamese as it his them for so long. The USA is not known for being for being subtle and enjoy going full out into wars. By disgracing other com munists states they would turn the cold war into a hot war annihilating much of the planet. Therefore using a stratery that depende of heavy firepower and without the support of the locals the Vietnam war was unwinnable, if they had won the war and left Vietnam in a state of disgrace theywould have turned the cold war into a hot war. The perpose of the war was to atop the spread of communism and

Effect of culture in business Essay

1. A growing number of Americans work for foreign-owned firms in the United States. Do you think that these American employees are being influenced by the foreign owner’s approach to management and the culture of the country of the owner? Because of globalization, businesses are open to do business in new markets and improving profits. Also because of globalization, companies are faced with different cultures, religion and norms. For a company to do business in another country, a manager needs to understand the differences associated with the host country. â€Å"Globalization is defined as this interdependency of transportation, distribution, communication, and economic networks across international borders† (Gibson, Ivancevich, Donnelly, & Konopaske, 2012, p 57). Each firm has their own organizational culture. According to Hellriegel, Slocum and Woodman (2001), organizational culture represents a complex pattern of beliefs, expectations, values and behaviors shared by organizational members. The knowledge of the culture in which an employee is working is crucial. â€Å"In a dynamic and fast changing environment the inter and intra organizational behavior changes the productivity and growth trends† (Chat urvedi, 2002). Because of the organizational culture most foreign-owned firms will tend to impose that culture on their employees. Just like U.S. companies settling abroad, foreign-owned companies will face some difficulties operating in a country with different culture. Based on Hofstede’s research, which studies how values in the workplace are influenced by culture, four dimensions have been â€Å"identified as explaining: Uncertainty avoidance: â€Å"degree to which people are comfortable with ambiguous situations and with the inability to predict future events with accuracy† (Gibson et al., 2012, p 69). Masculinity-Femininity: A culture that has a high masculinity orientation tends to emphasize on dominance, assertiveness, and interdependence. A culture with tendency of femininity orientation will emphasize more on interdependence, compassion, and emotional openness. Individualism-Collectivism: â€Å"Tendency of a culture’s norms and values to emphasize on satisfying individual needs or group needs† (Gibson et al., 2012, p 69). Power distance: â€Å"Degree to which members of a society accept differences in power and status among themselves† (Gibson et al., 2012, p 69) Because each culture fits differently in the four dimensions, a foreign-owned firm will keep its own culture as it will be easier to deal with than having different organizational cultures in each country it operates. Americans who work for those companies are indeed influenced by their approach of management. 2. Assume that you want to develop your global skills so that you can pursue international assignments with your company. Identify five skills that you would want to develop and describe how you would go about improving these skills. â€Å"Globalization is defined as this interdependency of transportation, distribution, communication, and economic networks across international borders† (Gibson, Ivancevich, Donnelly, & Konopaske, 2012, p 57). Managers are more and more in contact with different cultures. According to HRMagazine (2012), business skills, clture and customs skills, geographic, political and economic skills need to be developed. Based on Gibson, Ivancevich, Donnelly, & Konopaske (2012), the five main skills are: Global strategic skills: knowing how the economy (i.e. global financial markets), politics (i.e. foreign affairs, international law) are good ways for managers to know how to conduct business in another country. Team-building skills: Companies require more and more that their employees know how to work as part of a team. Team-building is a way to have more done more efficiently. A manager should know how to delegate work and know what each team members can or cannot do. Organization skills: It is important to know how employees react to certain management approach. McGregor’s motivational theory X and Y provides management approaches that can apply to motivate employees. Communication skills: Communication is essential when working abroad. It is imperative that a manager or employee be able to communicate with peers and superiors effectively. Transfer of knowledge skills: â€Å"Learning about a practice, technique, or approach in one country that can be transferred elsewhere is a skill that managers can apply on a regular basis† (Gibson et al., 2012, p 62). 3. Describe the attitudes a manager would need to be successful and effective in managing in India, China, and Saudi Arabia. A manager would need to have the same basic skills in order to a successful and effective manager in India, China, and Saudi Arabia. According to Gibson, Ivancevich, Donnelly, & Konopaske Strong technical skills Good language skills Strong desire to work overseas Knowledge of the culture Well-adjusted family situation Spouse support Behavioral flexibility Adaptability Good relational ability Stress management skills According Goodall and Warner (2007), a manager who wants to work in China would need to be: Open-minded to the culture shock. Desire to learn the language and culture. Good communication skills. Strong organizational commitment: â€Å"Think not what your company can do for you, but what you can do for your company† (Goodall et al., 2007, p 13). In China, it is hard to retain employees due to the competition of labor. China does not have enough skilled labors and is experiencing tremendous growth economically. To be an effective manager, one should be able to retain employees and adapt to the culture in order to not lose such precious asset. According to Bhuian, Al-shammari, & Jefri (2001), a manager needs have a strong organizational commitment, strong desire to work with foreign assignment, and especially good communication skills in order to work in Saudi Arabia. Trainings should be available to the expatriate manager. Gibson et al. identified three steps: â€Å"Predeparture†, which helps the manager prepare for the culture shock. Overseas Assignments, which is to help the manager ease into the culture. Having a mentor or a guide to introduce him or her to the culture. Repatriation, which is helping the manager adjusting back to his own culture when returning from assignment. References Assess-and improve-your global skills. (2012). _HRMagazine, 57_(8), 79. Retrieved from http://www.shrm. org/countryguides Bhuian, S. N., Al-shammari, E. S. and Jefri, O. A. (2001), Work-related attitudes and job characteristics of expatriates in Saudi Arabia. Thunderbird Int’l Bus Rev, 43: 21-32. doi: 10.1002/1520-6874(200101/02)43:13.0.CO;2-B Chaturvedi, A. (2002). Organizational behavior. _Finance India, 16_(4), 1482-1484. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.ezproxylocal.library.nova.edu/docview/224360708?accountid=6579 Gibson, J.G., Ivancevich, J.M., Donnelly, J.H., Konopaske, R. (2012). _Organizations: Behavior, structure, processes_ (14th ed.)_._ New York: McGraw-Hill. Goodall, K.L.N., Warner, M. (2007). Expatriate managers in China: The influence of Chinese culture on cross-cultural management. _Journal of General Management._ Retrieved from: http://www.jbs.cam.ac.uk/research/working_papers/2007/wp0701.pdf Hellriegel, Don, Slocum, John W. & Woodman, Richard W.; Organizational Behavior, South-Western Thomson Learney, 2001, pp 671.

Audi Marketing Mix Analysis

Audi Marketing Mix Analysis The Audi history begins with a man called August Horch, and in 1899, he established the Company HORCH CO. He invented his first car in 1901. But in 1909 Mr. Horch leaves his company and founded another company called Audi. â€Å"Audi † is the Latin translation for â€Å"Horch† and he took that name. In 1910, the brand â€Å"AUDI Automobilwerke GmbH† was registered. In 1931, the AUTO UNION was founded some members were DKW, HORCH, WANDERER and AUDI. Moreover, the new companies insignia to show the union of the four companies was the now familiar 4 rings, that what still used by Audi today. After the 2nd world war, there were again many cars produced, the most important for them were the DKW Munga, a four-wheel jeep with 3-cylinder 2-stroke engine. Invented in 1956 for the German military, there have produced 250 cars for testing purposes. And these cars made a trip around the world and drove more than 240 000 km also without major problems. This was the beginning of the later concept called Quattro and it had nearly 57 000 Mungaswere built until 1968. In the following years, they have many different engine- and car types were invented and produced in large amounts. There also improving, rallying and testing the first real ur-quattro with the new coupe body was build in 1980. And the power has been raised to 200hp in the testing time, and most of the other car producer did with a 2.2l engine. Audi, the core brand that the Audi has been focusing by the Audi Group in adopting its Strategy 2020 on the challenges of the future. The mission ‘We delight customers worldwide’ was explored in greater depth during 2011 where the strategy took on firmer contours. Heightened environmental awareness, growing uncertainty about the future availability of fossil fuels and increasing urbanization are the results of giving more weight to new issues that have emerged. The Mission of this company is â€Å"We delight customers worldwide†. The Audi brand’s products are famous of the brand values sportiness, modernism and sophistication. The brand with the four rings aims to suggest customer delight in many other ways and thus can lead to building technologically advanced vehicles. The mission statement which is â€Å"We delight customers worldwide† plays a main role on the path to becoming the leading first-class brand. The Audi brand has well-defined its understanding of customer delight in greater detail in the following four areas of action. That are â€Å"We define innovation†, â€Å"We create experiences† , â€Å"We live responsibility† and â€Å"We shape Audi†. In this company there have three objectives. First is to create impact and drive awareness of Audi Q5 launch. Second is demonstrating Audi’s core value proposition of â€Å"Progressive Performance†. And then last is communicate Audi’s prestige offering. Those three objectives is what Audi company execution in this few years. On the other hand, in this few year the Audi Company’s target market are predominantly males between 40-50 years old, married with a household income between $137K – $265K. And women who are a key influencer in the purchase process of the Q5.

Legal Handbook Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Legal Handbook - Essay Example e district of Arizona and the Cartwright School District 83 in Phoenix is to ensure that the learning of students is the primary focus of the their professional time. Secondly, the legislature stipulates that it is the responsibilities of the teachers to hold their students to strict account for any inappropriate behaviour. Thirdly, the legislation requires teachers to record and maintain the attendance records for students on a daily basis. Fifthly, the legislation delegates to teachers, the responsibility of making the decision as to whether to allow a student to proceed to the next grade in the case of a common school or to issue a pass or fail to the student in the case of a course in high school. However, decisions in this regard can be overturned by the procedures stipulated in section 15-342 under the Arizona state legislature. Lastly, the legislation stipulates that teachers have a duty to comply with all the rules and policies that have been developed by a school’s go verning body (Arizona State Legislature). The case of Spanierman versus Hughes was a federal court case in 2008 whereby Spanierman who was a teacher at the Emmett O’ Brien High School in Connecticut failed to overturn the decision by the school board not to renew her contract because of engaging in actions that are disruptive to school activities via her MySpace page (Neuburger, 2008). This case law affirm the fact that the failure of teachers to abide by the rules and policies can lead to detrimental consequences such as dismissal from work. According to Osborne and Russo (2011), teachers enjoy certain rights that include right to receive notice of termination and even right to a fair hearing when an issue arise. Secondly, under the bill of rights in the first amendment teachers have been... This essay stresses that the law in Arizona and in the Cartwright School District 83 in Phoenix limit the content or the subject that teachers can teach and/ or discuss in the class. The law stipulates that teachers should only present to the class contents that are relevant and even consistent with the responsibilities that have been stipulated for teachers and they should avoid introducing topics or subjects that have political or personal agendas in the classrooms. This paper declares that while deciding a case against academic freedom the court of law would normally take into consideration the experience, the grade level and even the age of the students involved in the case. In the case law Hardy versus the Jefferson Community College, 260 F.3d 671, the contract of a professor was not renewed because of a complain that was filed by an African American student who was protesting the professor’s use of the term â€Å"nigger† and â€Å"bitch† in the classroom. The introduction of such topics or discussions by the professor was a violation of academic freedom. The law in Arizona and in the Cartwright School District 83 in Phoenix accords teachers the right to freedom of association of which under the national constitution it is the first amendments, which accords the citizens of the state the right to peaceful assembly. The right to freedom of association therefore allows public school teachers in the Cartwright School Distric t 83 in Phoenix to join any labour or professional organization of their own choice, run for an elective public office, and even form association of their liking or profession.

Critical Response to Article by Karl Hostetler Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Critical Response to by Karl Hostetler - Article Example This preamble marks the paper out as something a little different from the usual mainstream literature, and the impression of novelty is further enhanced by statements to the effect that researchers need to be playful and irreverent about serious subjects, and need to offend some people and annoy others. Hofstetler certainly practices what he preaches, since the article is full of provocative statements that could be taken as undermining the most fundamental values of academic research activity in most contemporary universities. The key problem that Hostetler identifies is a tendency for education researchers to focus on how their work is done, rather than undertaking a deep analysis of what they are doing and why they are doing it. Analogies such as debating which way to investigate the effectiveness of thumbscrews (Hostetler, 2005, 16-17) or herding lemmings toward the cliff (Hostetler, 2005, 17) or even sticking students with cattle prods (Hostetler, 2005, 19) are somewhat ludicro us, but the point important: too many researchers do not reflect enough about the fundamental aim of education and how far their work helps of hinders people who might be affected at some later date by the outcomes of this research. This line of argument flies in the face of standard notions of research which involve concepts such as objectivity and scientific rigor. Without the use of statistics and analytical methods, there would be very little beyond anecdotal evidence to inform policy making and practice. Hofstetler makes a valid point, but he overstates it with his deliberately â€Å"naughty† (Hofstetler, 2005, p. 17) examples, and he risks not being taken seriously by the vast majority of interested readers who are quite capable of combining scientific methods with careful ethical reflection, and see no necessary conflict between the two. A second problem that Hostetler describes is that of definitions, for example the very different ways that the conception of â€Å"c haracter† in school programs is constituted. Clearly there are quite fundamental variations in the ideologies that can underpin such notions, and Hostetler argues that this complexity is something that needs to be more fully taken into account by researchers. On this point the article is convincing, and certainly there is a case for more clarity in the way that abstract educational terminology is used, especially in government slogans and initiative titles. Hofstetler speaks up for the particular student experiences that are hidden within the data of randomized trial procedures, for example, suggesting that some of the generalizing theories that researchers produce may contain within them actual harm to individual students, since minority results tend to be lost in the bigger picture. Hofstetler questions whether the trade-off is justified, and this is a commendable observation because it highlights the dilemma of that section of the school population with behavioural or learn ing disorders who are so often lost in the drive for overall quality improvements. This article raises a number of valuable questions, and provides much material for reflection, but it is rather short on concrete answers to these questions. The conclusion which is reached is little more than a platitude expressing approval of the likes of Mahatma Gandhi, Mother Teresa and other moral giants of history and calling for a more

Suggested Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Suggested - Essay Example An educator needs to figure out which category best fits needs of every student. The educator should not try to fit all adult learners into one group as each student has different goals in his mind. Understanding life circumstance of an adult learner may also help educators to anticipate their needs. A student typically returns to school for a better professional image and increased career opportunities. Educators need to be aware of trends while assessing how to address need of each student. Some of these needs are: students who work in occupations generally labeled nonprofessional, professionals who want to change career fields, displaced professionals, workers who are concerned about being displaced and professionals who need a degree to make the next vertical step within their organizations. As listed above, there are many reasons why an adult student feels the need to continue with hiseducation. Educators need to educate themselves so they can better help each student to choose the best career path for what they desire to accomplish. However, understanding the circumstances surrounding return of an adult to school is imperative when providing quality suggestions as how to accomplish each goals of each student. Some students will not have the desire or time for a typical four year college program, so will be looking for shorter programs that offer quicker access to better paying jobs. Short term programs that provide rewarding work and better pay hold a strong appeal to most time-strapped adults. Educators and students need to be aware that students who have been in the workforce for a significant amount of time will have earned substantial school credits from work-time experience. This will help encourage adults to continue with their education. This article also state s â€Å"students with a high number of undergraduate credits can often complete a General Studies

Analyze and assess the understanding of the relationship between Essay

Analyze and assess the understanding of the relationship between Judaism and the modern world outlined in Jonathan Sacks' 'The Dignity of Diference' - Essay Example d has always resulted in clash of civilizations resulting in large scale devastation, melancholy, and disaster as is evident from the September 11, catastrophe in the United States. This sends out an unblemished message – that of the disastrous consequences of attempting to establish a single way of life in a multicultural society. Jonathan Sack’s book on The Dignity of Difference: How to avoid the clash of civilizations is based on this ongoing issue of changing face of religion in an age of globalization and its various implifications. For better or for worse, religion, has re – emerged amidst an atmosphere of heightened apprehension and uncertainty. And more often than not mankind is faced with its detrimental consequences. A careful study of religious sermons across the globe reveals that the apathy shown by the torchbearers of religion in the name of God, are often the result of the malicious intents of the highly manipulative religious leaders and their communities. A brief probe into the contemporary clashes spurred on religious grounds would reveal a series of non exhaustive and disheartening events that history has witnessed over the years, some of which are still ongoing, such as the clash between Hindus and Muslims in Kashmir, India, Jews and Palestinians in the Middle East, Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland, and the fearsome Taliban in Afghanistan. Sack’s book provides a stimulating and elevated view of his religious perceptions that seek to promote inter – cultural congeniality and benevolence. The author, being a staunch follower of Judaism: an orthodox Jew is highly religious and yet disapproves of overbearing display of one’s religious beliefs and its imposition on the followers of other faiths. His position as the chief rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth1 and his approach towards following one’s own cultural values in a multicultural environment enables him to confront and enlighten aggravating

Experimental and Quasi-Experimental Reasearch with Hypothesis Essay

Experimental and Quasi-Experimental Reasearch with Hypothesis - Essay Example the process of research, 57% of those who have passed through the career assessment tests found job during the first month after the research was finished, while only 33% of those who didnt pass these assessment tests were able to find employment. In our research in the attempt to define the effectiveness of the various career assessment tools it was necessary to take into account t the statistical history. It is notable that among the 30 participants, in the period between the pre-test and post-test, two respondents have visited the curses for acquiring new practical skills in connection with their main occupation, and thus it will be difficult to decide, whether their better job search depended on their career assessment use or on the fact that they have visited such courses. The rest of the 27 respondents didnt visit any courses – however, to make the number of participants, who will pass the career assessment tests and those, who wont pass them, one of the respondents, chosen randomly, has been excluded from the research. Thus, the number of participants, which will ultimately define the result of the test, was ultimately decreased to 26. Maturation is the exclusive case of the statistical research and is based on the assumption that the objects of the research tend to improve while the test takes place. In our case with the career assessment, during the period of the three months, while the testing was taking place, it is assumed that it is hardly possible for the objects of the research to significantly improve their knowledge and qualification to the extent which could possibly change the results of the test, not noting the three respondents who visited the courses and have been excluded from the test group for this reason. In the present research there was the high probability that the results of the pre-test evaluation would considerably influence the post-test results for those who would pass the career assessment tests, as these tests presuppose

CRIME PREVENTION IN AMERICA Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

CRIME PREVENTION IN AMERICA - Essay Example The rate of daily crimes shows that a person living in America cannot sure if he will live the next moment. â€Å"In America, the crime clock continues to click: one murder every 22 minutes, one rape every 5 minutes, one robbery every 49 seconds, and one burglary every 10 seconds.† (Anderson, 2009). The gravity of the situation has forced the government to make maximum efforts in the direction of controlling crimes of all kinds in the country. Various crime prevention programs are undertaken at federal, state and local levels. There are programs aiming every section of the people, implemented at each of these levels depending upon their importance and seriousness. It is found that many of these crimes involve teenagers or generally the youth. Juvenile crimes are a nightmare to the Americans. School violence and under-age drinking lead to fights and murders, suicides, rapes, gun violence and so on. It is found that under-age binge drinking is more among teenagers below the age of 21 than adults. Drug abuse is another major issue regarding the youth in America. Students are frequently seen carrying guns to schools. A major reason for this situation is the extreme exposure to television, computer games and internet. It was found that girls did more crimes than boys. To add on to i t, juvenile justice system showed no mercy to these children. In 1970s the statistics of juvenile crimes rose terribly, making it very important for the government to control juvenile crimes and giving better juvenile justice to them, in order to reduce the crimes in America. For this purpose, the federal government introduced a new act, called the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act in the year 1974. The major aims were to prevent juvenile wrongdoings, improve the juvenile justice system in order to protect them. This act was reauthorized in 2008, to be called the ‘Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Reauthorization

Sickle Cell Disease Essay Example for Free

Sickle Cell Disease Essay This research informs the reader about Sickle cell disease. The goal is to raise awareness by describing what the disease is and where it originated. It gives advice on how to recognize signs in a crisis and how to help prevent any further symptoms. This focus uses facts from medical websites such as Web MD and Mayo Clinic. This research highlights every thing there is to know about sickle cell disease through detailed descriptions of where it comes from, how it is passed on, what it does to the body, and what can be done to help prevent it from getting really bad. Sickle cell disease is a blood disorder that is a genetic disease, which is inherited through parents. The bone marrow produces abnormal red blood cells that are a crescent shape. These red blood cells then get suck in the veins and cause many medical difficulties. This review will not investigate any personal experiences or experiences of any person. The sources mainly conclude that there are various researches trying to reveal helpful information for suffering patients. Researchers from the FSCDR administration found out that regular blood transfusions can reduce the occurrence of strokes and attacks in sickle cell patients. Regular monthly blood transfusions can help raise red blood cell counts and therefore reduce sickling and blood clots causing health complications. Further research into preventative remedies includes bone marrow transplants. Written by Vanessa Wasta this research goes in depth about how bone marrow transplants for patients with sickle cell disease work. Explaining the procedure and requirements of it. Then in another article Saint Louis University Medical Center researchers study therapy to relieve sickle cell pain. This study investigates treatment for young adults who are suffering from a pain crisis. St. Jude Children’s Hospital did research on how drug reduces hospitalizations and what the cost is treating young children with sickle cell anemia. The article goes in depth on how a new drug is demonstrated to be effective for treatment of adults and children with sickle cell anemia reducing hospitalizations and cut annual estimated medical cost by 21 percent for affected in fants and  toddlers. Further more a research found by Victor R. Gordeuk, MD discussing the basic transitional research program in sickle cell disease. Explaining how there are two components of the research. First is to study the neurodevelopmental status in children younger than 4. The second is to expose high school students to a laboratory research to cultivate interest in scientific research related to sickle cell disease. Johns Hopkins Medicine then shows how low vitamin D levels raise anemia risk in children. The low levels of â€Å"sunshine† vitamin D appear to increase a child’s risk of anemia, according to new research. The study is believed to be the first one to extensively explore the link between the two conditions in children. Then Georgia health Sciences University discovers that nitric oxide impacts the source of the sickle cell pain crisis. They reveal that nitric oxide gas appears to directly impact the source of the classic pain crisis of sickle cell disease found from re search. The main findings that I have come across is describing where it comes from, how it is passed on, what it does to the body, and what can be done to help prevent it from getting really bad. The genes you inherit determine the different forms of sickle cell. However, the most common form of sickle cell is sickle cell anemia. Sickle cell disease is a disorder in which the body forms sickle-shaped red blood cells (sickle-shaped means the blood cells are shaped in the form of a crescent). Normal red blood cells are disc-shaped that are similar to doughnuts but without the hole in the middle. The normal cells move quite easily through the blood vessels and contain a protein called hemoglobin. The hemoglobin carries oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body. Unfortunately, sickle cell contains hemoglobin called sickle cell hemoglobin or hemoglobin S. Sickle cell tends to block the flow of blood through the blood vessels of the limbs and organs, which may cause severe damage in the organs. â€Å"Sickle cell anemia occurs because an abnormal form of hemoglobin (HbS) is produced. HbS molecules tend to clump together, making red blood cells sticky, stiff, and more fragile, and causing them to form into a curved, sickle shape†. Miller, R. (2012, September 01). Sickle Cell Anemia. Retrieved from http://kidshealth.org/teen/diseases_conditions/blood/sickle_cell_anemia.html. It gives a higher possibility that the carrier of sickle cell disease (SCD) can obtain infections. Sickle cell anemia is caused by mutation in the gene that tells your body to produce hemoglobin. The sickle cell gene is passed down from generation to generation in a pattern called auto-somal recessive inheritance. In other words, both the mother and the father must be carriers, or pass down the defective form of the gene in order for the child to be affected by SCD. However, if only one parent carries the sickle cell trait, the disease would not affect the child, but that child will become a carrier of the sickle cell trait. With one normal hemoglobin gene and one defective hemoglobin gene, people that carry the trait produce both normal and defective sickle cell hemoglobin. Although their blood only contains a certain amount of sickle cells and may not experience any symptoms, they have a very high possibility of passing that defective trait onto their offspring if the carrier has interaction with another carrier of the disease. Because an individual that has sickle cell is actually born with the disease, they experience symptoms after the first four months of the infant’s birth. â€Å"About 2,000 babies are born with sickle cell disease each year in the United States.† Sickle Cell Disease Symptoms, Causes, Treatments. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.webmd.com/pain-management/pain-management-sickle-cell-disease. There are six main symptoms: anemia, episodes of pain, hand-foot syndrome, frequent infections, delayed growth, and vision problems. In the symptoms of anemia, sickle cells are fragile. They break apart easily and die leaving the carrier with a shortage of red blood cells. Red blood cells normally die out within 120 days; however, for people that have sickle cell, their red blood cells die out within 10 to 20 days. Because of this shortage, the body cannot obtain the oxygen it needs in order to feel energized. Episodes of pain are exactly how it sound, yet they are called crises. Pain occurs when each sickle-shaped red blood cell blocks the flow of blood through the blood vessels. Pain may occur in the chest, bones, joints, and abdomen. One of the first signs of sickle cell in an infant is the swelling of the hands and the feet. The swelling is caused by the sickle-shaped red blood cells blocking the blood flow to the hands and feet. Infections are a very common symptom that a sickle cell carrier has to undergo. Sickle cells can damage the spleen and because the spleen is the organ that fights off infections, the  body is more vulnerable to infections. Due to the shortage of red blood cells in the body, the body is not obtaining enough nutrients and oxygen that it needs to grow. As a result of that, the infant or child experiences a delayed growth. Another symptom includes vision problems. We see due to tiny blood vessels that are supplied to our eyes. In sickle cell, those blood vessels may be plugged up with sickle cells damaging the retina. Sickle cell symptoms are mainly determined by how severe the sickle cell may be. When the disease becomes very severe, some symptoms may include paleness, rapid heart rate, shortness of breath, yellowing of the eyes and skin, painful and prolonged erection, confusion, urinary tract infection, gallbladder infection, and more. Sickle cell is a diverse disease; it is an inherited blood disease that affects people mainly of African ancestry. This disease also affects other people of different ethnic groups such as people who are of Mediterranean, Asian and Middle Eastern descent. In the United States, between 90,000 and 100,000 people have sickle cell disease. One in every twelve African American carries the sickle trait and two million people carry the trait, meaning they carry a gene for the disease. The disease occurs amongst one out of every five hundred African Americans and one out of every thirty-six thousand Hispanics birth. Due to sickle cell anemia, this disease can lead to a variety of complications, including stroke, acute chest syndrome, pulmonary hypertension, organ damage, blindness, skin ulcers, and priapism. Acute chest syndrome is a life-threatening complication. It causes chest pains, fevers, and lack of breath. In many cases, this syndrome is caused by a lung infection, but in this specific situation with sickle cell, it is caused by sickle cells blocking the blood vessels in your lungs. Sickle cell anemia may also cause pulmonary hypertension, which means high blood pressure in the lungs. It causes shortness of breath and difficulty breathing, which can eventually be fatal. â€Å"Sickle cell anemia varies from person to person. Some people who have the disease have chronic (long-term) pain or fatigue (tiredness). However, with proper care and treatment, many people who have the disease can have improved quality of life and reasonable health much of the time.† What Is Sickle Cell Anemia? (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/sca/. There is no cure for sickle cell anemia; however, specialists are working on a cure at this very moment. One thing that people should do prior to making appointments for checkups, if they are a parent of a child with sickle cell disease, or if they have sickle cell disease, note any symptoms that they have experienced, write down questions to ask, and bring someone for moral support whether they are a friend or a family member. â€Å"Different techniques work for different people, but it might be worth trying heating pads, hot baths, massages or physical therapy†. Sickle cell anemia. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/sickle-cell-anemia/basics/coping-support/con-20019348. Sickle cell disease is an unheard of disease to many people and there’s no clear physical appearance to tell if someone is diagnosed with the disease unless they mention it, but it is a disease that may have fatal results and it is a disease that needs to be studied more in depth. These researches explain different things that are being worked on to help prevent sickle cell pain and other medical complications. With the different researches it is found that therapy, blood transfusions, and transplants can be helpful. In the informative research that is about to be conducted there would inform the readers about sickle cell disease, what it is, and what can be done to help prevent pain and any other health complications. 1. Miller, R. (2012, September 01). Sickle Cell Anemia. Retrieved from http://kidshealth.org/teen/diseases_conditions/blood/sickle_cell_anemia.html Sickle cell anemia article presents information about the disease for kids and teens to understand. It introduces topics such as where it comes from and how it is inherited. It lets the other peers know information on how it can be treated and pain crisis prevented. 2. Sickle cell anemia. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/sickle-cell-anemia/basics/coping-support/con-20019348 This article describes what sickle cell is and breaks down in simpler terms what can be done to help patients with this disease. It shows pictures and demonstrations on how the red blood cells work in the body. 3. Sickle Cell Disease Symptoms, Causes, Treatments. (n.d.). Retrieved

KBR Leadership Essay

KBR Leadership Essay Leadership and the leadership style used by the company and its relationship with the leadership theories: Leadership style in given organization is quite simple, open and goal focusing. Targets are given to functional and cross functional teams managed by team leaders, in team works every one has right to participate in decision making process, every team member can explain his opinion openly. Leader of the teams are expertise of their fields they better know how to overcome different problems. Leaders in this organization are responsible to maintain discipline, ethic and integrity in team and team work. Most of responsibilities are on the shoulders of leaders. Power distance is quite low in this organization as every one works for common goal, it is not difficult to communicate to leaders or seniors of the teams as vertical communication is open and honest, team members have good level of contact with their leaders and leaders are easily approachable. Leaders in this organization are used to of motivating their team members by trusting in them and expecting right job from them. Most of things are clear to team members as leaders dont hide things from them and try t o keep transparency in operations. Leaders expand the description of jobs by giving team members a variety in tasks and usually jobs are open ended. This style of leadership let the personnel progress and gives freedom for decisions making. Relationship with leader ship theories: Leadership in this organization includes a part of Fiedlerss leadership contingency theory (1960s) least preferred co-worker scale and situational control, in which leadership style is measured between task motivated leadership and relationship motivated leadership, leadership style of given organization is in between as it is target oriented and relationship motivating as well. In relation to situational control leaders in this organization are well aware of outcomes of their team members actions and decisions. Leadership in KBR is also near to Houses path-goal leadership theory which focuses on four leadership behaviours directive leadership, achievement -oriented leadership, supportive leadership and participative leadership. as path-goal theory says that key function in leadership is to adjust yourself according to situation in KBR leadership is more flexible, have a lot of experience and are more responsible so KBR is quite near to this theory and supportive leadership that focuses on developing good relations with subordinates and friendly work climate, in KBR leaders motivate the team members and seniors are approachable and other things discussed above made leadership in KBR quite supportive. KBRs leadership also follows the achievement -oriented leadership which emphasize on setting targets for subordinates and showing confidence in personnels abilities. In KBR leaders after assigning tasks to their team members expect right job from them it makes KBRs leadership achievement oriented. In participative leadership behaviour of leader is to involve subordinates in decision making and in KBR it provides bases to leadership. Transformational approach of leadership is also quite near to KBRs leadership as followers in KBR are motivated to go beyond job description and work for common good. Source of organizations culture and its implication on the workforce and organization performances: Morris W Kellogg is the saga of the company, means that he started the story of KBR and his story provides a lesson to whole organization members and gives foundations to culture of organization. Management philosophy of organization is based on commitment to health and safety and discipline. Individuals in organization have open and honest relationships there is good communication between all levels of management, in relationships mutual respect is always there. Most of things are transparent before everyone in organization, at all levels individuals are responsible but top management has more responsibilities Organization struggling to sustain integrity and specialization. work is divided among different specialized teams individuals at all levels have freedom of decision making and providing opportunities to grow to staff are is part of organizations culture. Organization always attracts talented graduates and specialized people as specialization is a part of organization culture. Organizations culture emphasis on going beyond customer‘s expectations. Organization delivers quality services to its customers. Organizations staff lives near the project location to better understand the situation. Organization works to innovate new things to expand its divisions and operations. Organizations culture causes a good relationship among whole work force. It makes the workforce to struggle for specialization and integrity. It causes exploring new things. whole work force has to obey the discipline and ethics. Communication among force needs to retain the mutual respect factor. Organizations culture is best fit for its operations, it helps to give maximum performance and achieve organizational goals. Culture of organization helps in continuous improvement, integrity and specialization. It provides motivation to individuals. Organizations culture moves the organization towards functional structure to get maximum integrity. Explore how the culture of the organization has impact on both the leadership and the organization structure of organization? Organizations culture plays an important role in providing bases to leadership. The leaders in organization takes the culture along and transfer it to subordinates major things in leadership which are from culture are integrity ,specialization, development of good relationship, work for crossing the customers expectations. Given above characteristics impact leadership style it makes leadership more cooperative. Leadership in KBR also opens door for innovation which is one of basics of firms culture. Transparency factor of culture makes the leaders to discuss things with subordinates openly, innovation factor of culture makes the leaders to let the subordinates go beyond their job description. For specialization leaders must be expertise of their fields. Element of honesty prevent leaders form politics. Element of the relationship building makes the leaders work with teams. Many things of culture also have affect on structure of company as honest relation and mutual respect and communication all these things give dimensions of low power difference, small hierarchy and flat structure to organization. Factor of specialization has divided the firm in many business units to bring maximum quality and specialization Need of specialization causes the organization to develop a set up to attract talented graduates, expertise towards the company. To create this attraction organization gives opportunities to personal progress and freedom of decision making and goo reward system specialization also divides the organization further business units. Due to specialization organization is gradually moving towards matrix structure which is more expensive and complicated but is necessary to meet the organizational and cultural needs Shareholder and employee benefits make the organization to give employees opportunities to grow and make profits for share holders. Relationship element of organization divides the management in few layers to built strong relationships The issue of motivation theories the motivational policies used in the case and its impact on individual and organization performances: KBR has developed a motivating culture for its personnel, there is a small distance between the upper management and the lower management, vertical and horizontal communication is not complicated ideas can be shared, team leaders always there to motivate and help their team members, most of things are transparent before employees as they are trusted by their seniors all these things motivate them and make them feel that they are part of organization besides this jobs has been designed to motivate the personnel, they have freedom to make decision and they can identify and solve the problems by their own judgment, challenging goals are give to staff member according to their specialization which motivate them to make difference there is a strong relationship between senior management and the subordinates, all above elements motivate the staff and make them feel that they are like a family and have power and freedom to some extend they know that their actions can influence the organizat ion, in future they have many opportunities to prosper on the bases of their work and there is no typical strict boss on them. Motivated staff ultimately leads the organization towards efficiency and success. As jobs do not have strict boundaries so there are more chances of exploring new things that enables the firm to have new ideas. Organizations motivating strategy develop loyalty in employees and it also attract talented graduates towards the organization as they see opportunity to grow and talented staff plays an important role in organizations achievements. Motivation strategy of this company follows rules described in Alderfers ERG theory which focuses on existence needs, relatedness needs and growth needs and it also follows the acquired needs theory which emphasize on achievement , affiliation and power needs. And KBR has opportunities to grow, strong relationship with employees and challenging jobs to make achievements all these things bring firm near to these theories. KBRs strategy is also near to two-factor theory of Fredrick Herzberg. this theory shows certain factors which play an important part in motivating and providing job satisfaction to employees these factors are given below in diagram, according to this diagram KBR has most of job satisfying factors in its strategy. (Organizational behaviour Schermerhhorn, Hunt, Osborn, seventh edition, 2000, page: 114) The nature of team, its structure and how it has impact on organization performances: KBRS management structure is flat and has few layers of management organization has adapted functional structure for its project in which teams work under specialists leadership and all members struggle for common goal as all are accountable for it. In teams all members have good relationship with each other mutual respect is always there every team member has god level of contact with seniors all members have efficient communication skills role of every team member is clearly described and he also has a freedom to some extent. All key tasks are given description team members need to be flexible teams are ready to accept any challenging task all teams working for same project have interaction with each other and work together to satisfy customer by delivering services beyond expectation. this structure of is according to day- to -day business needs of organization. Now company is gradually moving towards matrix structure in which cross functional teams consist on expertise from different functional departments utilize maximum of their skills to achieve organizational goals. KBRs structure helps it to achieve perfection in services as specialists teams work on projects assure quality and helps to sustain quality this functional structure also help the organization to meet its day to day requirements. Team work gives guarantees clear performance objective and enhances creativity in organization that plays an important role in going beyond expectations Cross functional teams bring an increase in work speed, provide broader information and struggle to sustain integration. All these things cause a perfection in lesser time that take the firm towards customer satisfaction. How effective do you think company approach to people management will be in ensuring improved results and enhancing the change management process? KBR has developed its structure to deliver services efficiently to its customers in all conditions, this structure also enables to work for the benefit of its shareholder, employees and communities the organization serve. In KBR the chain of command is small there are not many layers in hierarchy of management span of control is larger in this organization. A few layers cause a decrease in distance between upper management and lower management, individuals are not answerable to many bosses. Staff at upper management level has more responsibilities individual at upper level are expertise of their fields company also hire fresh graduates in its lower management and training is given to them so a new person can be a part if this organization at any level but new staff member has to show performance in 12 months probationary period .All individuals in KBR are given a degree of freedom to make decision. Every single post has an opportunity to progress and prosper personally. Jobs are desi gned to continue the learning process and exploring new things. Because of few management layers it is easy for upper management to control the subordinates as they can directly contact them and they can be informed with the staff problems and it also cause a motivation in staff as they can easily approach their seniors. This structure also help in unity of command besides this a few layers of management cause a decrease in cost and time. In horizontal structure organization is a functional and matrix organization and this structure leads towards clear targets and specialization. All individual selected for the organization have quality of adaptability so any change can be easily adapted. Because of few layers in management it is easy to bring a change. As company is changing towards matrix structure which is quite near to functional structure so it is easily acceptable. Problems caused by change can easily be known to upper management and can be solved and all conflicts can be removed. Explore the way individual and organization behaves liking this with relevant theory that you are familiar with how would this impact on any the organizations change process: Individuals in KBR are flexible, technically competent they use their own judgment in understanding the things and the have good interpersonal skills. Employees in KBR expect growth and reward for their work. All these traits bring KBR,s staff near to following theories. Self monitoring: According that individuals have ability to adjust their behaviour according to situation. Maglino and associates: this theory focuses on four points. Achievement, helping and concern for others, honesty and fairness (Schermerhhorn, Hunt, Osborn, seventh edition, page: 72) Varooms expectancy theory: According to this theory motivated staff believes that effort will yield acceptable performance performance will be rewarded the value of reward is highly positive Companys first priority is to satisfy the customer and after for that company focuses on financial responsibility, accountability and discipline there is no compromise on health and safety. Organization also focuses on ethics and integrity. Company struggles for continuous improvement and grow globally company has been opening new business units and innovating new things. Organization trust in its staff and right job is expected from them. Companys behaviour has relevance with following theories. High performance management theory covers all characteristics of KBR. Core points are given below Total quality management: total commitment to high quality results continuous improvement and meeting customer needs. Empowerment: allow individuals to make decisions that affect them or their work. Intellectual capital: total knowledge, expertise and energy available from organization members. Employee involvement Integration Organizations and individuals behaviour has a positive impact on the change process as the given above characteristics shows that individuals and organization is ready to accept change and this change is also a part of continuous improvement so flexibility adaptability continuous improvement struggle for high quality integrity all these things enables organization and individuals to accept and implement the change. Explain how the company has managed it change process and how it has benefited from this management process: Company implemented planed change strategy, in planed change organization followed the rational persuasion process in company used facts, special knowledge and rational arrangement to create change. Companys management system helped the company to implement the change as companys management ensures flexibility adaptability and because the management process is simple that is why it is easy to implement a change, few layers of management help to minimize the change cost and time it also decrease the probability of resistance to change. Firm is already working for specialization and integration and change will assist the firm in it. As management system gives reasons to change, the quality information, security, retention of power, good resources and good timing all these things makes the organization to accept the change Recommendations for future improvement: Let individuals clearer what exactly need to do to get desired reward Shift few more responsibilities on the shoulders of subordinates and more specify their jobs. Create a sense of urgency For teams facts and information should be given on regular bases Discuss companys high performance standards with staff Provide a variety in rewarding Let the individuals know how well they are working Make a real understanding of what firm stands for Make a good understand sense of informal rules and expectations so individual understand what is exactly expected of them Create a warmer interpersonal environment between upper management and lower management Staff at lower level must given performance feed back on regular bases Involve more subordinates in managerial decision making Link the team results to organizational outcomes Evaluate team and each individual members performance Make the culture more strong with rites, symbols and rituals Let the staff develop their own view how to develop tow ards organizational goals Increase decentralization, participation and create more decrease in rigidity Subordinates should be informed about the coming fears Conclusion: KBR is a big company rapidly growing globally. The company is enhancing its operations efficiently and quickly, business is divided in sub business units company is continually increasing its business units, company is conducting business by keeping its culture along. Structure of the organization is flat there are quite few layers in management which make management process easier, horizontal structure of organization is functional now firm is moving toward matrix structure. leadership of organization is motivating and communication between all levels of organization is quit easy. Most of responsibilities are on the shoulders of senior management .Senior management must has an understanding with the following areas of responsibility Provide strategic and operational leadership Develop and motivate others Be approachable and open to ideas Display honesty and integrity Individuals at all levels have freedom to make decisions and at all levels opportunities to grow are given, a new mem ber can enter in firm at any level. Every new person must have following traits Technical competence Strong oral and written communication Relationship building and team work Planning and organizational skills Adaptability Policies of organization attract talented graduates and specialists

Comparing Symbolical Language in Their Eyes Were Watching God and Great

Symbolical Language in Their Eyes Were Watching God and The Great Gatsby In some novels, strong impressions are exploited to conceal other meanings. Unraveling these symbolic word puzzles may reveal insights into the author's perspective and one's own secrets.   A careful analysis of selected passages of two books: Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God and Francis Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, will show that symbolical language can reveal even more insight. In this comparison, symbolism in the passages containing variations of the words "blossom" or "blooming" will be examined to reveal human development beyond sexuality and anatomy. The protagonist, Janie, in Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God, was sixteen years old when a series of natural events led to her to unlocking the secrets of her own sexuality. "Janie had spent most of the day under a blossoming pear tree in the back yard" introduces a location suitable for observing a miracle of reproduction in nature. The word "blossoming" indicates the narrator's comments are in the active present tense. The next few sentences, changing to past tense, reveal that this particular day--the third day--was much different than the first two. "That was to say, ever since the first tiny bloom had opened." The author poetically reveals progressive stages of pear tree flowers "blooming" along with their pollination by bees. This process so intensely intrigues Janie that her enhanced awareness triggers previously hidden sensual emotions and desires. Janie's continuous observation of the interplay among the plant and insect kingdom--mixed with her own intuitive feelings while lying on her back beneath the pear tree--leads her to a burst of in... ...prevent Gatsby from relating to other "nice" girls like Daisy (148). In other words, both Janie and Gatsby had stumbled into a new awareness because of major turning points in their lives, but these were just beginnings! They had graduated from being "grown up children," but now they were like "children at being adults" still having much to learn. The remaining story developments of both books detail further growth in the character development of the protagonists and the principle characters. And so it is with us and how we unravel the mysteries of symbolism in literary word puzzles, that we as readers can also grow like "blossoms blooming" through the eyes of Hurston and Fitzgerald. Works Cited Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. New York: Scribner, 1953. Hurston, Zora N. Their Eyes Were Watching God. New York: Harper & Row, 1937.

The Age of Innocence Essay -- essays research papers

The truth that lies behind fantasies The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton is a book that gave the word â€Å"love† many other meanings, such as impossible, meaningless and incomplete. There were many unbearable obstacles that Countess Ellen Olenska, one of the main characters, had to face because of love. She was treated badly by many people and always longed for love but never obtained it. With everyone cursing her, betraying her and hurting her, there was one person who was always there for her. Newland Archer wasn’t only sympathetic towards her; he also began to fall in love with her. The love she always wanted. He was the man who truly cared for her and always helped her make decisions. Out of all the selfish people in New York who degraded her, including her very close relatives, Newland Archer was one person who was there to listen to her problems and helped her solve them. Countess Olenska had to face many difficulties in her life. After having problems with her husband, Count Olenski, she left her home in Europe and lived with her grandmother, Mrs. Mingott. When she came to New York, Newland Archer was the only one who was there for her and listened to her problems. Furthermore, when she wanted to get a divorce Newland Archer, being a lawyer, talked to her about it and made her change her mind. He fell in love with her, knowing he was engaged to her cousin, and supported her. If he wanted, he could have forced her into getting a divorce and get married to her with...

The Museum of Fine Arts: Madonna and Child with Souls in Purgatory Essa

The Museum of Fine Arts (MFAH) in Houston, Texas is a world-renowned institution on 10 acres of land in the Museum District of Houston. Located just minutes from Downtown Houston, it houses permanent collections, traveling exhibits, two art schools, and boasts a sculpture garden and lunch cafà ©. The art is housed in two buildings, museum quality on their own. The Caroline Weiss Law building was designed by famed architect, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. The other, designed by award-winning architect Rafael Moneo, is the Audrey Jones Beck building. They are soon to be joined by a third building currently in the design phase which will house post-1900 art. The exhibits and collections of MFAH are so extensive that it is really not possible to see everything in just one day therefore it is advisable to plan your trip in advance. One of the most interesting collections is the Sarah Campbell Blaffer Foundation’s collection of Baroque and Renaissance Art. These periods, of all those we studied, most interested me. Wonderful works of art are housed in this collection, such as Madonna and Child by Sandro Botticelli, Portrait of a Lady as St. Agnes by Veronese, and The Stigmatization of Saint Francis by Orazio Gentileschi. In this collection I found an excellent example of Baroque Art, painted by Luca Giordano, Madonna and Child with Souls in Purgatory. Painted in 1665, this painting measures approximately 7’ x 5’ and is a classic example of his work and the Baroque period. The Baroque Period The Baroque period generally encompasses the 17th century in Europe coming after the period of Mannerism found in the Late Renaissance. Baroque was originally a derogatory term coined by critics in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, per a... ...ordano/biograph.html (accessed April 17, 2012). "Luca Giordano." BackToClasssics.com Virtual Art Gallery. http://www.backtoclassics.com/artist/lucagiordano/ (accessed April 21, 2012). "Luca Giordano (Italian painter) -- Britannica Online Encyclopedia." Encyclopedia - Britannica Online Encyclopedia. http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/234025/Luca-Giordano (accessed April 16, 2012). Pioch. Nicolas. "Baroque." WebMuseum. http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/glo/baroque/ (accessed April 18, 2012). Voorhies, James. "Art of the 17th and 18th Centuries in Naples." Heilbrum Timeline of Art History. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/npls/hd_npls.htm (October 2003) (accessed April 18, 2012). Williamson, George, and Kevin P. Thomas, Transcriber. "CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Luca Giordano." NEW ADVENT: Home. http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06564b.htm (accessed April 20, 2012).

Global Education Essay

According to the historical analysis in the 1990s, the global education movement in the United States took on a number of ethnocentric individuality. Largely since of attacks from the political Right, global instructor worked hard to avoid issues that were contentious. In adding up, they frequently strove for what was euphemistically called â€Å"equilibrium. † That is, â€Å"teach concerning other peoples plus condition, but do it ‘patriotically. ‘† It also turn into clear at this time that, as lots of American educators advocated counting the study of global issues in the curriculum, mainly did not particularly think to seek interface by means of educators from around the world who also were concerned through the teaching of global issues. For these reasons, I set out to find out what was being done about the world to comprise global education in the set of courses. I drafted a opinion poll, had it translated into French and Spanish, in addition to sent it to people in 100 countries who were well-informed about global education. Responses were established from 52 countries. No doubt these data have been reported in other researches. In the residue of this research, I will present highlights from this study along by means of updates on what is happening in the state most concerned in the global education group. Definition of Global Education The definition of global education specified to respondents was the one from the 1991 ASCD (Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development) annual, Global Education: From consideration to Action: Global education involves learning concerning those troubles and issues which cut crossways national boundaries and regarding the interconnectedness of systems — educational, environmental, financial, political, and technical. If we analyze then we come to know that global education also involves learning to appreciate and be grateful for our neighbors who have diverse cultural backgrounds from ours; to see the earth through the eyes as well as minds of others; and to realize that extra peoples of the world require and want much the similar things. Local School Vs Global Education Place of work diversity has taken a new face today; workplace diversity focuses on the impact of council’s base line. Not only can it monetarily benefit a council, but also by embracing diversity an organization can augment their ideas, insights, and a variety of pools of talent. Leveraging workplace variety is more and more seen as an essential strategic resource for competitive advantage. More companies are connecting workplace multiplicity to their strategic objective and objects. Greenwich Manufacturing has realized that diversity has an enormous impact and in addressing these issues; the council is implementing a Public Relations (PR) campaign to position itself as a leader in encouraging and promoting diversity in its workplace. This paper will outline Greenwich Borough PR campaign including its defined target audience, an overview of public relations issues, and implications of ethical issues. In addition, Greenwich has implemented a marketing research plan and sought to bring into line its marketing and public relation strategies In several cases, deforestation can be helpful. Given the right mix of social needs, financial opportunities, and environmental circumstances, it can be a rational change from one type of land use to a more prolific one. It can lead to thoroughfare of communication being created. Minerals that bring a state much wanted capital can be used to generate a better life for the peoples of that nation. In the long term these behavior may be fuelling Brazil’s advance into a major deal power. These are far reaching and all surrounding effects. The disaster lies in the fact that mainly lands that have been deforested in current decades are not suited for lasting farming or ranching and they rapidly degrade once the forest has been cut and burnt. Different the fertile soils of temperate latitudes, most tropical forest soils cannot sustain annual cropping. The carrying ability of the soil will not support concentrated annual cropping devoid of rapid, irreversible squalor. Likewise, intensive cattle grazing cannot be supported since grasses grown on forest soils do not have the same productivity levels as those on arable soils. In fact, there are very few forested soils in rising countries today that are obtainable for future agricultural growth, underscoring the urgent need to increase agricultural manufacture on existing farmlands rather than converting additional forests to farms. In global, local, human and economic terms, the tropical forests destroyed each year represent a loss in forest capital valued at US $45 billion (Hansen, 1997). The Hansen report is independent and so a source that can be trusted. By destroying the forests so quickly now and creating a hardwood ‘drought’, all potential future revenues and future employment that could be derived from their sustainable management for timber and non-timber products disappear. Probably the mainly grave and most short-sighted consequence of deforestation is the defeat of biodiversity. It is a result with consequence on every level. The sterile phrase â€Å"loss of biodiversity† (Anne Baker, 2003, p. 1) masks the fact that the yearly obliteration of millions of hectares of tropical forests means the death of thousands of species as well as varieties of plants and animals, numerous of which have never been catalogued methodically. How lots of species are lost every year? The exact research is not recognized, a consequence of our incomplete knowledge of steamy forest ecosystems and our insufficient monitoring systems. Some approximation put the annual loss at 50,000 divide species but this is a cultured guess at best. This gene pool obliteration could be destroying curers to some of today’s most lethal diseases, such as cancer, as we have so little information of the rainforest, but 35% of our medication comes from it. Ethical Considerations It makes good trade sense to be sight as an ethical council, and it benefits the workplace to have an additional optimistic work environment. There are a variety of definitions of ethics. One source states ethics has to do by means of what my feelings tell me is right or wrong or being ethical is doing what the law states. One more ethics theory variety from utilitarianism, states the definition as â€Å"most good for the most number† (Seitel, 2004). In addition to ethics, a corporation has a social blame that is closely related to the ethical conduct. It is a council’s social liability and ethical blame to employee diversity in keep hold of a promoting minorities and women. Employee safety and health is an additional responsibility to give a safe and healthy labor environment have polices in place, accident safeguards and medical facilities (Center, A. H. , Jackson, P. 2002). There is no real safeguard for companies or individuals to be ethical, however there are standards and polices for corporation to put in place, such as an annual code of ethics meeting or acknowledgement to instill the importance of ethics in the workplace (Kitchen, PJ 1997).

Choose one case study and evaluate it from the perspective of the Behaviourist Approach. Provide strategies for intervention based only on this theory

Abstract This essay evaluates case study 3B through the perspective of behaviourism as identified by Skinner et al (1948). The subject in 3B is named Jethro, who is exhibiting signs of disruptive behaviour in school. His actions are analysed from the view of the Behaviourists, using such theories as classical and operant conditioning. Methods for guidance and improvement based on this analysis are then offered. Introduction Behaviourism is a theory which analyses human behaviour in terms of observable cause and effect, rather than mental processes. It advocates that humans react to positive and negative reinforcement of such behaviour throughout their lives – most notably during childhood and adolescence (Mah, 2007). A behaviourist psychologist named Pavlov (1902) developed the theory of ‘classical conditioning’ through an experiment with using his dogs. The theory then went on to become one of the most vital mechanisms of Behaviourism. This is where un-conditioned responses such as salivation at the sight of food can be associated with the ringing of a bell that accompanies the smell of food; thereby giving the dog a learned conditioned response. Skinner (1948) added to this by developing ‘operant conditioning’; which suggests that positive reinforcement and negative punishment are able to create similar conditioned responses too. It has also been argued by Behaviourist s that humans share this same basic psychology as animals on a fundamental level, and can learn associations between reward and consequence (operant conditioning) and learn conditioned responses to stimuli (classical conditioning) (Costello & Angold, 2000). Because of this how concrete and empirically-based the approach is, it is the most commonly applied theory to basic classroom dynamics; as good behaviours are rewarded with positive reinforcement (i.e. good grades, a ‘gold sticker’) and bad, maladaptive behaviours are rewarded with negative reinforcement (i.e. bad grades, detention or ‘naughty step’). It is the simplest way to discipline a class. Shirley (2009) has argued that no lesson plan can work if there is no behaviourism present. In light of this, the analysis will look at how Jethro’s ‘good’ and ‘bad’ behaviours have been reinforced by both his teachers and his parents, and then how his current actions have developed because of this. Any possible suggestions for intervention will then be given in order to re-balance his previous conditioning. Jethro’s Behaviourist Assessment At first glance, Jethro’s behaviour seems to be a product of a lack of reinforcement from his parents and teachers in both a positive and negative respect (Wheldall & Glynn, 1989). He lacks the balance that operant conditioning offers and classical conditioning can be used to explain the way he has associated subjects he does not enjoy with frustration and even aggression. It seems that neither parent nor teacher has attempted to positively associate a subject Jethro doesn’t enjoy with a reward or method that he does enjoy (Porter, 2006). This can be seen from the â€Å"challenge† that is posed by adults that spark â€Å"angry outbursts† from Jethro. From a behaviourist view, this â€Å"challenge† would be seen as another negative reinforcement for his actions, as opposed to engagement on another level that may interest the boy. For example, he enjoys music and is evidently a creative person – perhaps more creative lesson plans would put an e nd to his aggressive behaviour, as he would then learn a positive conditioned response to that lesson. A large-scale survey of teachers and pupils entitled ‘The Elton Report’ (1989) suggested that schools’ biggest concern was that of low-level but high-frequency disruptions such as talking during lessons, not waiting, running in corridors and fidgeting. These are called â€Å"TooTs† (talking out of turn) by the DFE, and seem to be a very common occurrence in adolescents. Jethro’s behaviours are mostly TooTs such as rudeness, only doing the minimum required and lateness, and could easily be seen as avoidance of activities that he does not gain any sort of positive reinforcement from i.e. truanting classes when he does not like the teacher. Jethro does not gain any reward from these classes, and therefore does not seek to even attempt to participate because he has been conditioned to act out of turn in them and not pay due attention. It is also evident that musical stimulus gives Jethro pleasure. Akin to how the smell of food gave Pavlov’s dogs a ‘hard-wired’ un-conditioned response (McLeod, 2007), it seems that Jethro did not need to learn his response to music; that it was always present. We can infer that his parents did not aid this response, as they are â€Å"too busy† to have even kept any appointments with his head-teacher. This neglect seems to have created these maladaptive behaviours, as children thrive on a token economy with a reward/punishment scheme (Cooper & Upton, 1991). It could be argued that Jethro’s parents’ neglect of his interests and behaviours acts as its own positive reinforcement of his maladaptive behaviours such as truancy, lateness and being confrontational. This would make Jethro believe that these bad behaviours are in fact good or merely neutral. Without punishment from the primary caregiver, the subject will learn to persist in these behaviours as they go without consequence or even reason (Chung & Nolan, 1998). Jethro fits into the first group of unruly children as stated by the DFE – the â€Å"naughty and disruptive, but responsive† group (DFE, 1994). This can be seen in his sometimes aggressive behaviour, but also in his enjoyment of music. His participation in his town’s Community Action Week makes a good example of how Jethro does indeed respond to positive rewards and stimuli i.e. the act of playing guitar at the old people’s home made him feel elated, or ‘good’; whereas other subjects make him unruly (Premack, 1959). Strategies for Intervention The â€Å"chill-outs† that Jethro receives from teachers shed light on his previous conditioning. Although they could be seen as punishments, they are not the correct punishment to give, as they fail to make a negative association with acting ‘out-of-turn’. Especially given the fact that Jethro is sixteen years old, in the midst of adolescence. It should be noted that adolescents require extra stimulation in their field of interest, as they are beginning to progress up the ‘pyramid of learning’ of Bloom’s taxonomy (1956) and start to create more complex associations and responses as well as being more autonomous (White & Renk, 2011). In light of this, perhaps a harsher punishment is necessary to re-balance the boy’s conditioning, for example – a detention. Arguably this could take place during music class, so as to heighten the negative reinforcement of his behaviour. However, a strategy such as this may serve to severely harm the boy if carried out repeatedly, as it is clear that he is passionate about music, and music is one lesson that he has â€Å"no reported problems† in. Care should be taken so as not to permanently damage Jethro’s positive talents and create an even more negative association with every other aspect of school life. Although, if this punishment is reserved for instances of intense aggression, the strategy may prove fruitful. Another intervention strategy may be to actively encourage Jethro with more rewards for trying harder in lessons he currently does not enjoy. Presently, there are no signs of any attempt to condition the student into doing more than the very minimum required. Although he is working at his National Curriculum age appropriate levels, the teachers are seen to only â€Å"complain†; thereby further reinforcing his response of ‘not trying’. If teachers offered some sort of reward as compensation i.e. being able to complete ‘homework’ in class rather than having to take it home, then maybe Jethro would comply more as he would then have more time to pursue his music, for instance. After a while, Jethro would begin to associate going to class with positive responses and rewards through a teaching style based upon classical and operant conditioning. Similar to the DFE’s circular 8/94 entitled â€Å"Pupil Behaviour and Discipline† (1994); strategies should be implemented that promote respect between students and staff. There should be a token economy with formal rewards that focusses mainly on positive reinforcement for successes, rather than purely negative reinforcements and punishments for acting ‘out of turn’. Clear boundaries of acceptable behaviour are required in order to successfully intervene with Jethro and condition him to be a more respectful, academically-minded student. A liaison between home and school should also be encouraged to ensure Jethro adapts thoroughly as a person, not just a pupil (Ayers et al, 2000). Conclusion In conclusion, it is clear that Jethro’s conditioning needs to be re-balanced through a succession of positive and negative reinforcements, coupled with a reward scheme that congratulates ‘good’ behaviour to encourage the student to try harder. At present, his behaviour is un-disciplined because he has not learnt the correct responses to stimuli such as adults’ challenges, work that he does not like and arriving to lessons promptly. With the suggestions offered here, these behaviours will change and make Jethro a more ‘co-operative’ student; to the point of altering his responses to neutral stimuli into positive ones – allowing him to associate the aspects of school life that currently trouble him, with happiness and rewards. References Ayers, H., Clarke, D. & Murray, A. (2000). Perspectives on Behaviour: A Practical Guide to Effective Interventions for Teachers. David Fulton Publishers. ISBN-10: 1853466727. Chung, C. M. & Nolan, P. (1998). Children with Challenging Behaviour: Past and Present in the United Kingdom. Children and Society. Vol. 12. Cooper, P. & Upton, G. (1991). Controlling the Urge to Control: An Eco-systemic Approach to Problem Behaviour in Schools. Problem Behaviour. Support for Learning. Vol. 6 No. 1. Costello, J. & Angold, A. (2000). Bad Behaviour: An Historical Perspective on Disorders of Conduct. Conduct Disorders in Childhood and Adolescence. Cambridge University Press. ISBN-10: 0521786398. DES. (1989). Discipline in Schools. The Elton Report. London. HMSO. DFE. (1994). Discipline in Schools, Circular 8/94. London. Department for Education. Mah, R. (2007). Difficult Behaviour in Early Childhood. Positive Discipline for Pre K-3 Classroom & Beyond. Corwin. ISBN-10: 1412937159. McLeod, S. (2007). Pavlov’s Dogs. Simply Psychology. Accessed: http://www.simplypsychology.org/pavlov.html. Last Accessed 04/07/2014. Porter, L. (2006). Behaviour in Schools: Theory and Practice for Teachers. Open University Press. ISBN-10: 0335220010. Premack, D. (1959). Empirical Behaviour Laws: Positive Reinforcement. Psychological Review. Vol. 66. Shirley, R. (2009). The Behaviourist Approach to Teaching in Class. Accessed: https://suite.io/rachel-shirley/1qz5268. Last Accessed 04/07/2014. Wheldall, K. & Glynn, T. (1989). Effective Classroom Learning. Blackwell. Oxford. White, R. & Renk, K. (2011). Externalizing Behaviour Problems during Adolescence: An Ecological Perspective. Springer Science and Business Media.

Assessment of Learning Essay

Assessment for Learning and Pupils with Special Educational Needs The aim of this paper is to provide a summary of the key issues that emerged during the Agency project Assessment in Inclusive Settings in relation to the application of the concept of Assessment for Learning to pupils with special educational needs (SEN). A significant aspect of inclusive assessment in practice that emerged from the on-going discussions with Project Experts was the concept of Assessment for Learning. References to this concept can be found in the majority of project Country Reports on national assessment systems (www.european-agency. org /site/themes/assessment/index. shtml). Within these Country Reports, Assessment for Learning can be seen as a ‘qualitative’ type of assessment procedures. This type of assessment – also referred to as ‘formative’ or ‘on-going’ assessment – is usually carried out in classrooms by class teachers and professionals that work with the class teacher. It usually refers to assessment procedures that inform teachers about pupils’ learning and guides them in planning the next steps in teaching. As a central task within the second phase of the Agency project, a decision was taken to explore in more depth the concept of Assessment for Learning and how this can be applied to assessment in inclusive settings. Two activities were conducted: – A review of available literature considering the concept. This was a short review of English language materials (please see the reference list at the end of this document); – Discussions with all Project Experts. Information from the initial review of available literature was presented to Project Experts as a stimulus for their discussions. This led to the Experts being asked to reflect on the differences between Assessment for Learning (formative, ongoing assessment) and Assessment of Learning (summative assessment) using the following parameters: PARAMETERS PURPOSE GOALS ASSESSMENT FOR LEARNING ASSESSMENT OF LEARNING Supporting Learning Accountability (linked to predetermined standards) Informs teaching and learning Promotes further steps in learning Focuses on improving Develops pupils’ skills of reflection Collection of information about what has been achieved (a record of marks) Compares with  targets that have been pre-established. Focuses on achievement www. european-agency. org 1 PARAMETERS ACTORS WHEN TOOLS ASSESSMENT FOR LEARNING Teachers Pupils Parents Peers Other school professionals On-going ASSESSMENT OF LEARNING Teachers External practitioners At fixed and pre-determined times Discussions, observations, self- Tests, drilling, grading, marking, assessment, peer-assessment, questioning, observation teacher debate, comment-only, dialogue, questioning, feedback, no-grading, portfolio, individual education plan . Adapted from Harlen (2007a) The key difference between Assessment for Learning and Assessment of Learning can be identified as the purpose for which teachers and other professionals gather evidence of learning. Although some tools may be the same (e. g. questioning) the key issues emerging from the feedback provided by Project Experts indicated that it is necessary to keep in mind that: – Assessment for Learning aims at improving learning; Assessment of Learning aims at ensuring accountability (of schools and teachers). – Assessment for Learning explores the potential for learning and indicates the next step to be taken in order to promote learning and focuses upon the dynamics of teaching and learning); Assessment of Learning shows what has been already achieved, memorised and absorbed and provides a snapshot of the current situation. The actors involved in Assessment for Learning are able to provide insights into progress that a pupil has achieved and how the school contributed to this development; the actors involved in Assessment of Learning include professionals who are external to the school situation (e. g. inspectors) and may be required to provide a picture of a school at a particular point in time, but they may not always know the school context and life in the necessary detail to provide insights into pupil learning. Assessment for Learning and Pupils with SEN? The concept of providing feedback to pupils about their learning is the crucial element in understanding the potential difference between the use of the term Assessment for Learning generally by educators – as it is most often used for example within the project Country Reports – and the use of the term within a research context. Overall, Assessment for Learning is concerned with collecting evidence about learning that is used to adapt teaching and plan next steps in learning. Evidence 2 www. european-agency. org about learning is crucial as it indicates if there has been a shift (or not) in a pupil’s learning progress and possibly learning processes. On the basis of such evidence, teachers can formulate targets/goals and are able to provide pupils with feedback about their learning (see Hattie and Timperly, 2007) clearly indicating to a pupil not just what they have learned, but also giving them information on how they may have learned it and how best they can learn in the future. The feedback provided during Assessment for Learning contributes to a pupils’ reflection on their own learning. Within the research literature reviewed for this investigation, Assessment for Learning is often described as involving this form of self-reflection, or more specifically, as a means by which pupils reflect on their own learning as they are engaged in an interactive ‘feedback loop’ with their teachers. The essential aim of employing the ‘feedback loop’ within Assessment for Learning is to promote pupils’ meta-cognition; that is their own understanding of not just what they learn, but how they learn and can learn in the best way. This is clearly presented by the Assessment Reform Group (2002) who describe Assessment for Learning as: †¦ the process of seeking and interpreting evidence for use by learners and their teachers to decide where the learners are in their learning, where they need to go and how best to get there. (Assessment Reform Group, p. 2) Assessment for Learning within this research-based context involves issues of self-reflection and self-assessment that develops a pupils’ own understanding of how learning is taking place and how it can be developed. This is particularly relevant as Assessment for Learning emphasises assessment as a process of meta-cognition (see for example the notion of Assessment as Learning in Western and Northern Canadian Protocol for Collaboration in Education, 2006). These notions, however, are not always the main focus when the concept of Assessment for Learning is used more generally (that is as in the project Country Reports). Meijer (2003) suggests that what is good for pupils with special educational needs is also good for all pupils and this maxim is one that has been considered throughout the entire Agency Assessment project. However, when considering the researchgenerated concept of Assessment for Learning, it has to be recognised that the work has been conducted in relation to pupils without SEN. Within the research work on Assessment for Learning considered in the literature review (Lynn and et al. , 1997; Black and Wiliam, 1998), issues around Assessment for Learning and pupils with SEN are only very marginally dealt with. Consequently, a decision was taken to actively explore within the Agency Assessment project the relevance of the research-based concept of Assessment for Learning for the learning of pupils with SEN along with the possible implications for assessment procedures used by teachers, school managers, parents and even www. european-agency. org 3  pupils themselves. Within the Agency Assessment project discussions therefore, the central question emerged as being is what is good for most pupils also good for pupils with SEN? The discussions with project experts essentially explored if the research concept of Assessment for Learning was valid for pupils with SEN. Two main areas were debated by Project Experts: 1. Does Assessment for Learning mean the same thing for pupils with and without SEN? Are same principles applied? 2. Are there differences in the use of Assessment for Learning for pupils with and without SEN? If so what are these differences for pupils, teachers, school managers and educational practice? Assessment for Learning – a relevant concept The most main outcome emerging from the discussions of the Project Experts is the agreement that Assessment for Learning is a significant element in successful teaching and learning of teaching with all pupils, including those with SEN. In essence, the critical question to ask is not whether Assessment for Learning can be applied to pupils with special educational needs, but rather how it can be applied. However, one potential area of concern was highlighted by project experts in relation to using Assessment for Learning with pupils with the most severe needs. In particular, engaging pupils with profound and multiple learning difficulties in the ‘feedback loop’ was seen as being challenging. However, project experts’ reflections on this potential difficulty can be summed up as follows: †¦ students with profound difficulties do not need different assessment systems, but only different methods/tools of assessment. Assessment for Learning – methods and tools In relation to tools for Assessment for Learning, Project Experts’ feedback indicates that many Assessment for Learning approaches (such as individualised observation, portfolios and diaries) have been extensively used in special needs education settings for some considerable time. In relation to other potential methods and tools it is necessary to underline the fact that Assessment for Learning methods and tools can be used with pupils with SEN providing that they are modified and adjusted (accommodated) to meet the needs of the individual pupil. 4 www. european-agency. org Teacher observation was seen by Project Experts as a main method for gathering Assessment for Learning information. This approach is seen as particularly relevant for pupils with SEN as it may be the only method available to gather information about the learning of pupils who use non- or pre-verbal forms of communication. However, the Project Experts’ inputs suggested that teachers needed to be given more guidance by specialists in order to improve their skills in observation. Specifically, project experts indicated that more guidance should be given to develop more individualised methods of observation of pupils with SEN. Some suggestions included the use of videos as helpful tools to collect evidence of learning for students with profound learning difficulties and to provide teachers with the best opportunities to reflect upon assessment and discuss the evidence with their colleagues. Questioning is often a crucial part of the teacher pupil interaction that occurs in the Assessment for Learning ‘feedback loop’. Project Experts indicated that questioning pupils with SEN is also possible – and necessary – but only: †¦ if the questions are framed in a way that allows pupils to have enough time to answer (the ‘wait time’) and if different stimuli to support questions (e. g. visual versus verbal stimuli) and ways of responding (e. g. eye contact) are considered †¦ In addition, Project Experts also indicated that the portfolio – if complemented with other information, for example the pupil’s IEP or specialist therapeutic programmes – could be a tool for dialogue with other professionals and parents. Finally, Project Experts expressed their view that approaches that encourage selfassessment and particularly self-reflection are tools within Assessment for Learning provided that they are adequately adapted and modified to meet the needs of individual pupils. The reinforcement of self-assessment skills was seen as a crucial goal for pupils with severe learning difficulties whose personal learning targets may often include autonomy and independence. These competences are fundamental skills clearly supported by the development of self-reflection and meta-cognitive skills (Porter et al., 2000). Assessment for Learning – implications for school managers All Project Experts agreed on the important role played by school managers in creating the opportunities for teachers to discuss and reflect on assessment issues and for parents to participate in the process of assessment of their children. There is a need for: †¦ head and deputy school managers [to] monitor planning and assessment †¦ more home/school diaries, informal chats reviews, phone calls. www. european-agency. org 5. School managers are crucial actors for the development of an organisational ethos that recognises pupils’ involvement as fundamental (Porter, Robertson and Hayhoe, 2000). Without respect for pupils’ wishes and a general school philosophy that supports pupil participation, Assessment for Learning is less likely to develop. Overall, as far as school managers are concerned, Project Experts across different Agency countries indicated there is a real need for them to provide all teachers with more formal time to reflect on their use of assessment in order that they can successfully engage in Assessment for Learning processes with pupils. Conclusions All of the contributions from the project experts were unanimous: the concept of Assessment for Learning as currently understood by countries, but – most importantly for this debate – also as described in the research literature is valid for all pupils: including those with SEN. From the discussions held with Project Experts, this proposition can be developed further: Assessment for Learning concerns all pupils and from an inclusive perspective there should not be any need to differentiate between pupils with or without SEN, but rather to differentiate classroom practice to meet all pupils’ requirements. Building on this assertion, four main findings can be highlighted: 1. The same principles of Assessment for Learning apply to pupils with or without SEN. 2. The only difference in Assessment for Learning between pupils with and without special educational needs is essentially in the type of tools and the assessment/ communication methods used by teachers. 3. The only area of concern relating to Assessment for Learning being applied to pupils with SEN relates to the notion of Assessment for Learning as a tool for pupils’ reflection on their own learning (i. e. the interaction between the pupil and teacher during the ‘feedback loop’). For pupils who use alternative forms of communication this feedback process cannot operate in the ‘traditional’ language based way. In this case, a more individualised approach, new assessment tools and a variety of means for teacher/pupil interaction need to be explored and implemented; for example close observation in structured situations which allows teachers to assess pupils’ likes/dislikes and so forth. 4. Many methods and tools of Assessment for Learning have been developed within special needs education settings and could be transferred into mainstream  settings to improve educational provision for all pupils. In summary, Assessment for Learning can and should be applied to all pupils, including those with SEN, providing that the relevant and necessary changes and 6 www. european-agency. org modifications are made in order to ensure the individual pupil’s full participation in the assessment process. It is clear that the discussions relating to the concept of Assessment for Learning within the remit of the Agency Assessment project have only provided a starting point. More detailed examination – research and also the wider dissemination of examples of good practice in applying Assessment for Learning to meet the needs of pupils with SEN – is needed in the future. It is hoped however, that the reflections from project experts as well as their assertion of the usefulness of the concept in supporting the learning processes of all pupils will inform the work and decision making of educational policy makers and practitioners across Europe. For the full text of this paper – including direct quotations from Project Experts relating to the key findings – please go to: http://www. european-agency. org/site/themes/assessment/index. shtml www. european-agency. org 7 References Assessment Reform Group (1999) Assessment for Learning: Beyond the Black Box. Cambridge: University of Cambridge School of Education. Assessment Reform Group (2002) Assessment for Learning: 10 principles. Research-based principles to guide classroom practice. Nuffield Foundation: Electronic source available online at: http://www. qca.org. uk/libraryAssets/media/ 4031_afl_principles. pdf (Last accessed November 2008). Black, P. and William, D. (2002) Inside the Black Box: Raising Standards through Classroom Assessment London: King’s College. Harlen, W. (2007a) Assessment of Learning. London: Sage. Harlen, W. (2007b) The Quality of Learning: assessment alternatives for primary education. (Primary Review Research Survey 3/4). Cambridge: University of Cambridge. Hattie, J. & Timperly, H. (2007) The power of feedback. Review of Educational Research, Vol. 77, N. 1, pp. 81-112. Lynn, S. F. and et al. (1997) ‘Effects of task-focused goals on low-achieving students with and without learning disabilities’ American Educational Research Journal, 34, 513-543. Meijer, C. J. W. (ed. ) (2003) Inclusive Education and Classroom Practices. Middelfart: European Agency for Development in Special Needs Education. Porter, J. , Robertson, C. and Hayhoe, H. (eds. ) (2000) Classroom Assessment for Students with Learning Difficulties/Disabilities. Birmingham: Qualifications & Curriculum Authority. William, D. (2007) Assessment for learning: why, what and how. London: Institute of Education, University of London.William, D. and Leahy, S. (2007) ‘A theoretical foundation for formative assessment’. In J. McMillan, H. (ed. ) Formative Classroom Assessment: Theory into Practice (pp. 29-42). New York: Teachers College Press. Western and Northern Canadian Protocol for Collaboration in Education, (ed. ) (2006) Rethinking Classroom Assessment with Purpose in Mind. Crown Right of the Government of Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Saskatchewan, Yukon Territory: Western and Northern Canadian Protocol for Collaboration in Education. 8 www. european-agency. org.