Thursday, August 27, 2020

American Ballet Theatre free essay sample

Agnes de Mille:She was an American artist and choreographer. De Mille started her relationship with the youngster American Ballet Theater (at that point called the Ballet Theater) in 1939, yet her first huge work, Rodeo (1942) with the score by Aaron Copland, was arranged for the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo. In spite of the fact that de Mille kept on arranging about up to the hour of her deathâ€her last expressive dance, The Other, was finished in 1992â€most of her later works have dropped out of the artful dance collection. Other than Rodeo, two other de Mille ballet performances are performed all the time, Three Virgins and a Devil (1934) adjusted from a story by Giovanni Boccaccio, and Fall River Legend (1948) in view of the life of Lizzie Borden. Jerome Robbins:He was an American theater maker, chief, and choreographer known fundamentally for Broadway Theater and Ballet/Dance. Among the various stage creations he chipped away at were On the Town, Peter Pan, High Button Shoes, The King And I, The Pajama Game, Bells Are Ringing, West Side Story, Gypsy: A Musical Fable, and Fiddler on the Roof. We will compose a custom article test on American Ballet Theater or on the other hand any comparable subject explicitly for you Don't WasteYour Time Recruit WRITER Just 13.90/page Robbins is a five time Tony Award victor and a beneficiary of the Kennedy Center Honors. Joffrey Ballet:Founded as a visiting organization in 1956, it was situated in New York City until 1995. The organization is presently headquartered in Joffrey Tower. 1956, a period during which most visiting organizations performed just decreased adaptations of artful dance works of art, Robert Joffrey and Gerald Arpino shaped a special six-artist gathering that visited the nation in a station cart pulling a U-Haul trailer, performing unique ballet productions that were made by Robert Joffrey. While Joffrey remained in New York City to train artful dance classes and procure cash to pay the artists pay rates, Gerald Arpino drove the troupe across Americas heartland. The outfits first execution in a significant city happened in Chicago in 1957. The Joffrey Ballet initially settled down in New York City, initially named the Robert Joffrey Theater Ballet. In 1962, present day choreographer Alvin Ailey was welcome to make a work for the organization. Rebekah Harkness was a significant early promoter and she made universal visiting conceivable (Soviet Union, 1963).

Saturday, August 22, 2020

History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 2

History - Essay Example In this exposition I will endeavor a diagram of five of the most punctual religions that are known including those of Ancient Greece and India, the early Islamic religion and the early strict perspectives on Africa. Nonetheless, to start I will inspect the strict perspectives on the early Chinese human progress. Indeed, in the early Chinese human advancement there are said to have existed three separate principles. These tenets were Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism. The religions of Christianity and Islam are said not to have arrived at this area until the seventh century A.D. The thoughts of Taoism are said to have started in the sixth century B.C and were established upon the idea of a man named Lao Tzu (in spite of the fact that there are numerous who accept this man is simply a legendary figure). In all actuality, while Taoism can be seen as far as strict practice, it is basically to a greater degree an arrangement of philosophical idea. It depends on a couple of straightforward standards which incorporate the conviction that there is a sort of widespread 'life-power' that is natural in every way. Consequently, regarding and thinking about all things is an imperative component inside this framework, and people are appropriately urged not to utilize power however ought to rather be set up to bargain and have confidence in increasingly characteristic powers. 2 Around a century later, Confucius (551-479 B.C) responded fairly against the lessons of Taoism and set about making his own framework that got known as Confucianism. Once more, it tends to be contended that this framework, while it is commonly considered as a Religion of China, is in actuality progressively centered around both political and social profound quality. All things considered, Confucianism was to turn out to be colossally compelling, particularly during the Han Dynasty that administered from 206 B.C. until 220 A.D. In straightforward terms, this teaching states that individuals should stay devoted to both their rulers and their Gods and that submissively completing their obligations is the best approach to harmony and bliss. Let us currently move over the guide and take a gander at the strict perspectives on Ancient Greece. Indeed, the first inspiration driving the strict perspectives on the Ancient Greeks lay in a response against the 'bleak' religion of Ancient Egypt. Furthermore, we discover there is a basic distinction between the religion of Greece and numerous others (counting the above Religions of China) and that is the way that it was not established by any one figure and had neither holy sacred writings nor arrangement of holy chains of importance. The strict perspectives on this nation were in certainty not restricted to confidence or conviction however were fairly centered around joining a positive practice into the quotidian existence of its occupants. This is mostly because of the way that the Greek divine beings were to a great extent dependent on the p icture of man, and were minimal diverse with respect to character from man himself. For certain, the divine beings were viewed as both more grounded and more canny than unimportant humans, yet neither heavenly nor supreme. In this way, man was viewed as their otherworldly equivalent. 3 specifically, the individuals of Ancient Greece are said to have reveled in taking an interest in the act of investigating the future and subsequently endeavoring to foresee its result. Thus the purported 'prophets' were both much worshipped and regarded. Of all the referred to prophets, the prophet known as Delphi was supposed to be the most respected of all. Delphi was in certainty viewed as something of an 'inside' for the earth and subsequently was counseled frequently with respect to issues of natural essentialness. Actually, the

Friday, August 21, 2020

Blog Archive MBA News Business Week Gets it Right!

Blog Archive MBA News Business Week Gets it Right! On April 7, 2005, Business Week published an article entitled, “MBA Applicants Are MIA: As tuition soars and the job market strengthens, some B-schools are downsizing and all are getting less selective.” We, at MBA Mission, were somewhat dismissive of this article, suggesting that everything comes and goes in cycles and that MBAs will once again return with a vengeance. Well, now, Business Week is singing a different tune.   In article published yesterday evening, Business Week is delaring: “MBA Applications Surge: Demand for admission to U.S. graduate business schools remains strong, and the large number of applicants is entering what some say is the most competitive pool in recent years.” Indeed, with a strong job market for those coming out of MBA programs and a jittery stock market currently, which is causing some to consider seeking refuge in business school for a few years, applications are up and competition is more fierce than ever. Of course, this too  shall  pass could  Business Weeks article be a contrarian harbinger of change once again?   Share ThisTweet Blogroll News

Monday, May 25, 2020

Overarching Learning Outcomes The Ocean - 4316 Words

Description This SEL program seeks perform seeks to help students learn by creating an environment that fills the full scale of students needs. This unit is designed to provide opportunities for second grade students to explore and research animals in the ocean, the characteristics and features of the ocean, and how people interact within the ocean habitat in a positive or negative way. Students discover five features of the ocean floor and then create a model of the ocean floor. Students complete a map labeling continents and oceans. After playing a globe toss game and discovering how much of the earth is covered by land and water, students graph this information on a class graph. Students participate in a class demonstration to show how much of the earth is composed of fresh or salt water. As a final product, students create a guide book using Power Point for their chosen aspect of the ocean. Additionally, students will create an ocean mural incorporating ocean characteristics, animals, and hu man interaction in this habitat. Rationale This unit provided students the opportunity to explore and research a particular aspect of the ocean that interests them. This kind of ownership of what they research empowers students to investigate a topic in-depth. In the above mentioned activities students use specific reading strategies for comprehension, classifying and analysis skills, and synthesize research to create a guide book using Power Point. Students consistentlyShow MoreRelatedWater Of Different Forms Of Water1397 Words   |  6 Pagesmaterial that is commonly found in nature, and it can be in different form (solid, liquid, gas), which is a great material to introduce chemical science to the children (Harlan Rivkin, 2014; MacDonald Rafferty, 2015). The water experiences provides learning opportunities for children to discover the water transformation process from one form to another. The water experiences allows children to compare the different forms of water, at the same time, it help children to understand the property of waterRead More The Use of Chiasmus to Highlight the Irony of Slavery in Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglas1515 Words   |  7 Pagesloved and hated, good and evil, Douglass shows that the will of the master and the slave are inherently opposite of each other, specifically when it concerns the education of the slave. On this afternoon, his masters dramatic opposition to his learning to read made him realize readings importance. Through the chiasmus he included, he not only showed us the importance of that discovery, but also led us to the same realization. This passage of Douglass narrative has especial irony; the realizationsRead MoreMilitary Affairs And The House Committee On War II1869 Words   |  8 Pagesis against U.S. involvement in specifically inter-European conflicts. The ongoing crisis in Europe is greatly affecting the American business community, due to the increasing interconnectedness of U.S. companies with their counterparts across the ocean. The U.S. has many interests in foreign markets that have already been affected by the war, such as the nullification of its trade agreement with Japan, following the invasion of Manchuria, and it is unclear whether further bilateral trade agreementsRead MoreThe Unhcr13403 Words   |  54 Pagesthe largest IDP populations - Sudan, Colombia and Iraq. Millions of other civilians who have been made homeless by natural disasters are also classified as IDPs. UNHCR is only involved with this group in exceptional circumstances, such as the Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004, the earthquake in 2005 and floods in 2010 in Pakistan and 2008s Cyclone Nargis in Myanmar. * Returnees: By implementing successful measure of ‘repatriation’, for many people forced from their homes, a voluntary return home inRead MoreBig five Personality Traits7561 Words   |  31 Pagesmeasure different traits in personality without overlapping. During studies, the Big Five personality traits show consistency in interviews, self-descriptions, and when observed.[2]  Acronyms commonly used to refer to the five traits collectively are OCEAN, NEOAC, or CANOE. Beneath each factor, a cluster of correlated specific traits is found; for example, extraversion includes such related qualities as gregariousness, assertiveness, excitement seeking, warmth, activity, and positive emotions.[3] Contents  Ã‚  [hide]  Read MoreGsl Mc25499 Words   |  102 Pagesopportunities (GSL ID 2.8) Question 2.9 Boutique Wine Company has been using Blue Ocean Strategy to seek and capitalise on new, undiscovered markets through innovative activities. The company produces a small but highly award winning range of wines from its vineyard in the Nappa Valley. Which one of the following options best describes a ‘raise’ action that has been undertaken in line with a Blue Ocean Strategy approach? A B C D production of wines only that are capable of winningRead MoreChange Management49917 Words   |  200 PagesMBA –H4010 Organisational Development And Change ORGANISATIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND CHANGE UNIT – I LEARNING OBJECTIVES The student is expected to learn the following concepts after going through this unit. 1. Change 3. Planned Change 5. Unplanned Change 2. 4. 6. Stimulating Forces Change Agents Lewin’s Three Step Model The change means the alteration of status quo or making things different. It may refer to any alteration which occurs in the overall work environment of an organizationRead MoreConsumer Behaviour of Lg Tv12881 Words   |  52 Pagesoften appeals to a segment within the population that seeks to distinguish itself from the mainstream population).  Ã‚   Thus, sneaker manufacturers are eager to have their products worn by admired athletes.   Finally, consumer behaviour is influenced by  learning—you try a hamburger and learn that it satisfies your hunger and tastes good, and the next time you are hungry, you may consider another hamburger. Consumer Choice and Decision Making: Problem Recognition: One model of consumer decision makingRead MoreEssay about Phd Comprehensive Exam. in Leadership15004 Words   |  61 PagesFinally, although the positivist quantitative researcher applies the best techniques of the â€Å"hard† science community, they are still dealing with people and not inanimate objects. It is â€Å"difficult, if not impossible, for the social scientist to predict outcomes with the same accuracy and reliability as the pure scientist† (Baker, 2001). The results achieved by quantitative social scientists will not be totally consistent, because people are not totally consistent. Qualitative Research: Defined The qualitativeRead MoreContemporary Issues in Management Accounting211377 Words   |  846 Pagesprocess and the political and economic influences on it. This research has led her to consider corporate social responsibility and sustainable business practices and their links to management accounting issues. In particular, she looks at effects and outcomes of the interplay between financial reporting, corporate governance, corporate social responsibility, ethics, and accounting-based managerial decision-making. John Stone is Senior Lecturer in the Department of War Studies at King’s College London

Thursday, May 14, 2020

Character Analysis of Shakespeares Othello

Above all else, this Othello character analysis reveals that Shakespeares Othello has gravitas. A celebrated soldier and trusted leader whose race both defines him â€Å"The Moor† and defies his lofty position; it would be rare for a man of race to have such a highly respected position in Venetian society. Othello and Race Many of Othellos insecurities are derived from his race and from the perception that he is lowlier than his wife. â€Å"Haply for I am black, And have not those soft parts of conversation That chamberers have†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Othello, Act 3 Scene 3, Line 267) Iago and Roderigo describe Othello at the start of the play, without even naming him, using his racial difference to identify him, referring to him as â€Å"the Moor†, â€Å"an old black ram†. He is even referred to as â€Å"the thick lips†. It is generally the morally dubious characters who use his race as a reason to disparage him. The Duke only speaks of him in terms of his achievements and his valor; â€Å"Valiant Othello†¦Ã¢â‚¬  ( Act 1 Scene 3 Line 47) Unfortunately, Othello’s insecurity gets the better of him and he is moved to kill his wife in a fit of jealousy. One could argue that Othello is easily manipulated but as an honest man himself, he has no reason to doubt Iago. â€Å"The Moor is of a free and open nature, That thinks men honest that but seem to be so,† (Iago, Act 1 Scene 3, Line 391). Having said that, he more readily believes Iago than his own wife but again this is probably because of his own insecurities. â€Å"By the world, I think my wife be honest and think she is not. I think that thou art just, and think thou art not.† (Act 3 Scene 3, Line 388-390) Othello’s Integrity One of Othello’s admirable qualities is that he believes that men should be transparent and honest as he is; â€Å"Certain, men should be what they seem† (Act 3 Scene 3 Line 134). This juxtaposition between Othello’s transparency and Iago’s duality identifies him as a sympathetic character despite his actions. Othello is manipulated by the truly evil and duplicitous Iago who has so few redeeming qualities. Pride is also one of Othello’s weaknesses; for him, his wife’s alleged affair confounds his belief that he is a lesser man, that he cannot live up to her expectations and her position in society; her need for a conventional white man is a critical blow to his achieved position. â€Å"For naught, I did in hate, but all in honour† (Act 5 Scene 2, Line 301). Othello is clearly very much in love with Desdemona and in killing her he denies himself his own happiness; which heightens the tragedy. Iago’s true Machiavellian victory is that he orchestrates Othello having to take responsibility for his own downfall. Othello and Iago Iago’s hatred of Othello is profound; he does not employ him as his lieutenant and there is a suggestion that he bedded Emilia previous to his relationship with Desdemona. The relationship between Othello and Emilia is never corroborated but Emilia has a very negative opinion of Othello, possibly based on dealings with her own husband? Emilia says to Desdemona of Othello â€Å"I would you had never seen him† (Act 5 Scene 1, Line 17) presumably this is out of love and loyalty to her friend as opposed to a lingering affection for him. Othello would be very attractive to someone in Emilia’s position; he is very demonstrative in his love for Desdemona but sadly this turns sour and his character becomes more recognizable to Emilia as a result. Othello is brave and celebrated which could also account for Iago’s intense hatred of him. Jealousy defines Othello and also the characters associated with his downfall.

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

The Comparison Between Suzanne Collins The Hunger Games...

The Hunger Games is a science fiction novel written by the American author Suzanne Collins that was published in 2008. A film adaptation directed by Gary Ross was released in 2012. Although some movie adaptations differ greatly from the original stories presented in the books, this adaptation follows the plot development in an unusually detailed manner. However, certain changes were made that influence our perception of the movie. The Hunger Games exhibits a variety of sci-fi features that confirm her placement in this genre. The plot is set in the dystopian, post-apocalyptic society of Panem that rose up out of the ashes of the place that was once called North America (Collins). One can only speculate about the year because no exact†¦show more content†¦The Games fulfil their purpose of terrifying the people of the Districts and thus preventing them to rebel against the government as they once tried. If the consequence of the last rebellion were the Hunger Games, there is no way of knowing whether or not the Capitol would destroy every one of them were they to fail again: â€Å"How little chance we would stand of surviving another rebellion† (Collins). Panem is a truly totalitarian state, where dictatorship rules, with a tremendous difference between the rich, who live in the Capitol and the Districts nearest to it, and the poor, especially the outer Districts like Eleven or Twelve: â€Å"Wha t it must be like, I wonder, to live in a world where food appears at the press of a button?†(Collins). In such a society the bonds between people outside one’s family are weak and trust does not come easily, of which Katniss is the best example. The question whether love is possible in such conditions remains throughout the trilogy, as Katniss has to sort out her feelings towards Gale and Peeta and decide without whom she cannot live. However, in the first book the reader finds out that she never wants to have kids, meaning she would not want to expose her children to the dangers of the Games. The movie essentially preserves the original genre of the text, although it mostly focuses on the adventurous parts, and meticulously tries to follow the main plot but certain alterations wereShow MoreRelatedThe Hunger Games By Suzanne Collins878 Words   |  4 PagesThe motion picture The Hunger Games, which premiered in 2012 was a book first published in 2009, written by Suzan ne Collins. Usually film adaptations of a book usually are worse then the book itself. The Hunger Games was no exception. If someone did not read the book, they should expect to be very confused during the movie. The movie left a lot of important parts out and did not explain why things were the way they were. Putting the gaps in the storyline aside, the acting portrayed from JenniferRead MoreDeveloping Management Skills404131 Words   |  1617 PagesKelly Warsak Senior Operations Supervisor: Arnold Vila Operations Specialist: Ilene Kahn Senior Art Director: Janet Slowik Interior Design: Suzanne Duda and Michael Fruhbeis Permissions Project Manager: Shannon Barbe Manager, Cover Visual Research Permissions: Karen Sanatar Manager Central Design: Jayne Conte Cover Art: Getty Images, Inc. Cover Design: Suzanne Duda Lead Media Project Manager: Denise Vaughn Full-Service Project Management: Sharon Anderson/BookMasters, Inc. Composition: Integra SoftwareRead MoreStephen P. Robbins Timothy A. Judge (2011) Organizational Behaviour 15th Edition New Jersey: Prentice Hall393164 Words   |  1573 PagesPerception? 166 Factors That Influence Perception 167 165 Person Perception: Making Judgments About Others 168 Attribution Theory 168 †¢ Common Shortcuts in Judging Others 170 †¢ Specific Applications of Shortcuts in Organizations 173 The Link Between Perception and Individual Decision Making 174 Decision Making in Organizations 175 The Rational Model, Bounded Rationality, and Intuition 175 †¢ Common Biases and Errors in Decision Making 177 Influences on Decision Making: Individual Differences and

Tuesday, May 5, 2020

Bally Total Fitness Marketing Audit Essay Example For Students

Bally Total Fitness Marketing Audit Essay Bally Total Fitness Marketing Audit Essay Bally Total Fitness is the largest, and only nationwide, commercial operator of fitness centers. Ballys has approximately four million members and 420 facilities across the United States and around the globe. (ballyfitness.com, 2004) A marketing audit was performed on the company in order to assess their total marketing program to see what was and was not working to increase business. The following will summarize key findings of environmental aspects and marketing. Finally, any recommended actions that may be considered for future planning will be discussed. The environmental aspects that were considered for the Bally Total Fitness audit were demographics, markets and competition. Demographic trends have shown that the older segments of the United States (ages 45-65+) are growing the fastest. Bally Total Fitness would be wise to consider marketing towards this age group as their needs change. An estimated 50 million people will be members to a fitness center in just six years, the year 2010. This is due to an increased desire towards healthy living. The general population is becoming more aware of the benefits of exercise to promote health and wellness. The Markets part of the audit shows that there is three major trends that health clubs should be attentive of. These major trends are insurance paid weight-loss, a global battle against obesity and an end to low-carb confusion. Health clubs are part of the solution and should promote themselves as such. Bally Total Fitness can be a guide towards losing weight and increased education on obesity and to guide people through the low-carb confusion. 24 Hour Fitness and Golds Gym are Ballys top two competitors. While both companies have been successful, Bally Total Fitness still boasts more members and more facilities than either one. However, both competitors of Ballys are not too far behind. Ballys should strive hard to stay on top of the competition. This can be achieved by analyzing the competitors strengths and weaknesses. If any similar weaknesses exist, changes can be made to improve on those to differentiate Ballys from the rest. Ballys has an excellent product. It is something that all people, no matter what their size or shape, can benefit from. The current Every Body Needs Something campaign is an excellent idea to get this message across. Also, growing the Marketing Department by adding seasoned executives was a good choice. Since many of these executives are highly experienced they can all collaborate and ultimately come up with sound ideas that will help the company grow. Bally Total Fitness objectives are reasonable and go along with their mission statement of being a Total Fitness Resource. It is important that all levels of the company are aware of the objectives and strategies that are being used to meet those objectives. While Ballys has been doing well at this, they should never get complacent and always be attentive to what is going on with all of their staff and all of their members. Effective training and constant evaluation of staff members will insure top-notch customer service. In short, Bally Total Fitness has been faring well in the fitness industry. First quarter results of 2004 have shown that net revenue has increased from the previous years first quarter but by only 2%. By more aggressive marketing this number can increase more by the next year. Both a market penetration strategy and a market expansion strategy should be utilized to further this objective. These strategies will ensure that current and potential consumers will be aware of the product Bally Total Fitness has to offer. The current campaign says it best, Every Body Needs Something and Bally Total Fitness has just what that body needs. .u6b72cf64bb2e4ed088e6c19a22d147fa , .u6b72cf64bb2e4ed088e6c19a22d147fa .postImageUrl , .u6b72cf64bb2e4ed088e6c19a22d147fa .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u6b72cf64bb2e4ed088e6c19a22d147fa , .u6b72cf64bb2e4ed088e6c19a22d147fa:hover , .u6b72cf64bb2e4ed088e6c19a22d147fa:visited , .u6b72cf64bb2e4ed088e6c19a22d147fa:active { border:0!important; } .u6b72cf64bb2e4ed088e6c19a22d147fa .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u6b72cf64bb2e4ed088e6c19a22d147fa { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u6b72cf64bb2e4ed088e6c19a22d147fa:active , .u6b72cf64bb2e4ed088e6c19a22d147fa:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u6b72cf64bb2e4ed088e6c19a22d147fa .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u6b72cf64bb2e4ed088e6c19a22d147fa .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u6b72cf64bb2e4ed088e6c19a22d147fa .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u6b72cf64bb2e4ed088e6c19a22d147fa .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u6b72cf64bb2e4ed088e6c19a22d147fa:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u6b72cf64bb2e4ed088e6c19a22d147fa .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u6b72cf64bb2e4ed088e6c19a22d147fa .u6b72cf64bb2e4ed088e6c19a22d147fa-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u6b72cf64bb2e4ed088e6c19a22d147fa:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Marxism EssayTABLE OF CONTENTS Environmental Aspects DEMOGRAPHICSp. 5 MARKETp. 5 COMPETITIONp. 7 Marketing OBJECTIVESp. 8 STRATEGIESp. 9 TACTICSp. 11 4PSp. 12 SALESp. 14 Conclusionp. 15 Works Citedp. 16 Environmental Aspects DEMOGRAPHICS Of an estimated 30 million members to fitness centers in the United States, one out of five belongs to Ballys. Bally Total Fitness mainly targets the 18-49 year old range with a male to female ration of 1:1. The average household income of their members is $52,000 a year. 76% of Bally members are Internet enabled. (ballyfitness.com, 2004) According to the International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association (IHRSA), there are approximately 30 million adult members of fitness centers in .

Friday, April 10, 2020

Why is the name of the Edmund Pettus Bridge ironic Essays

Why is the name of the Edmund Pettus Bridge ironic? ( irony : a situation that is strange or funny because things happen in a way that seems to be the opposite of what might be expected Scoring Guide: 95: Response correctly identifies the basis of the irony and explains in in clear and organized language. Question is restated, underlying facts are identified, ironic relationship is explained, conclusion offers closure. The name of the Edmund Pettus Bridge is so ironic because it was named after a man who was the head of the most notorious white terrorist group in Alabamathe Ku Klux Klan, and which is where part of the Civil Rights Movement took place. The Edmund Pettus Bridge is very important in U.S. history because it was where the Civil Rights march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, ended, representing a true iconic structure during the Civil Rights Movement era. Although, before it was created into an icon for racial equality, it was a representation of the white supremacist movementthe Ku Klux Klan. As John Giggie, a professor at the University of Alabama, explained, the bridge was named after the head of the most notorious white terrorist group in AlabamaEdmund Pettus. Therefore, even though this bridge was very important to the Civil Rights Era, it can also be seen as the icon for white supremacy. Hence, this is where the irony of the bridge can be seen. Norma Lawrence who lives near the br idge, stated that, the Edmund Pettus Bridge has been there for her whole life, explaining that that part of history is very important, since it preserves the racial and civil rights part of history of Selma, Alabama. As Norma Lawrence explained, this bridge is not just notorious, but also represents the Civil Rights Movement. It is where the Civil Rights Movement participants walked, even though they didn't know it was named after a notorious Ku Klux Klan leader. They did not know and the citizens of Selma did not know for all these years, which is the irony. In conclusion, these are the reasons that support the fact that the name of the Edmund Pettus Bridge is ironic.

Tuesday, March 10, 2020

150 Million Years of Marsupial Evolution

150 Million Years of Marsupial Evolution You wouldnt know it from their relatively paltry numbers today, but marsupials (the kangaroos, koalas, wombats, etc. of Australia, as well as the opossums of the western hemisphere) have a rich evolutionary history. As far as paleontologists can tell, the distant ancestors of modern opossums diverged from the distant ancestors of modern placental mammals about 160 million years ago, during the late Jurassic period (when pretty much all mammals were the size of mice), and the first true marsupial appeared during the early Cretaceous, about 35 million years later. (See a gallery of prehistoric marsupial pictures and profiles and a list of recently extinct marsupials.) Before we go any further, its worthwhile to review what sets marsupials apart from the mainstream of mammalian evolution. The vast majority of mammals on earth today are placental: fetuses are nurtured in their mothers wombs, by means of a placenta, and theyre born in a relatively advanced state of development. Marsupials, by contrast, give birth to undeveloped, fetus-like young, which then must spend helpless months suckling milk in their mothers pouches. (Theres also a third, much smaller group of mammals, the egg-laying monotremes, typified by platypuses and echidnas.) The First Marsupials Because the mammals of the Mesozoic Era were so smalland because soft tissues dont preserve well in the fossil recordscientists cant directly examine the reproductive systems of animals from the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods. What they can do, though, is examine and compare these mammals teeth, and by that criterion, the earliest identified marsupial was Sinodelphys, from early Cretaceous Asia. The giveaway is that prehistoric marsupials possessed four pairs of molars in each of their upper and lower jaws, while placental mammals had no more than three. For tens of millions of years after Sinodelphys, the marsupial fossil record is frustratingly scattered and incomplete. We do know that early marsupials (or metatherians, as theyre sometimes called by paleontologists) spread from Asia to North and South America, and then from South America to Australia, by way of Antarctica (which was much more temperate at the end of the Mesozoic Era). By the time the evolutionary dust had cleared, by the end of the Eocene epoch, marsupials had disappeared from North America and Eurasia  but prospered in South America and Australia. The Marsupials of South America For most of the Cenozoic Era, South America was a gigantic island continent, completely separated from North America until the emergence of the Central American isthmus about three million years ago. During these eons, South Americas marsupialstechnically known as sparassodonts, and technically classified as a sister group to the true marsupialsevolved to fill every available mammalian ecological niche, in ways that uncannily mimicked the lifestyles of their placental cousins elsewhere in the world. Examples? Consider Borhyaena, a slouching, 200-pound predatory marsupial that looked and acted like an African hyena; Cladosictis, a small, sleek metatherian that resembled a slippery otter; Necrolestes, the grave robber, which behaved a bit like an anteater; and, last but not least, Thylacosmilus, the marsupial equivalent of the Saber-Tooth Tiger (and equipped with even bigger canines). Unfortunately, the opening of the Central American isthmus during the Pliocene epoch spelled the doom of these marsupials, as they were completely displaced by better-adapted placental mammals from up north. The Giant Marsupials of Australia In one respect, the marsupials of South America have long since disappearedbut in another, they continue to live on in Australia. Its likely that all of the kangaroos, wombats, and wallabies Down Under are descendants of a single marsupial species that inadvertently rafted over from Antarctica about 55 million years ago, during the early Eocene epoch. (One candidate is a distant ancestor of the Monito del Monte, or little bush monkey, a tiny, nocturnal, tree-dwelling marsupial that today lives in the bamboo forests of the southern Andes mountains.) From such unprepossessing origins, a mighty race grew. A few million years ago, Australia was home to such monstrous marsupials as Diprotodon, aka the Giant Wombat, which weighed upwards of two tons; Procoptodon, the Giant Short-Faced Kangaroo, which stood 10 feet tall and weighed twice as much as an NFL linebacker; Thylacoleo, the 200-pound marsupial lion; and the Tasmanian Tiger (genus Thylacinus), a fierce, wolf-like predator that only went extinct in the 20th century. Sadly, like most megafauna mammals worldwide, the giant marsupials of Australia, Tasmania, and New Zealand went extinct after the last Ice Age, survived by their much more petite descendants.

Saturday, February 22, 2020

STRATEGIC HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

STRATEGIC HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT - Essay Example This paper will discuss the human resource management within the Coca-Cola Company. It will analyze in detail their recruitment and selection procedures, and their training and development program. Coca-Cola is an international beverage manufacturer that was started in 1886 by pharmacist John Stith Pemberton (The Coca-Cola Company, 2015, retrieved from http://www.coca-colacompany.com/history/ ). It manufacturers more than 500 brands and has managed to expand into about 200 countries and serves 1.6 billion people daily (The Coca-Cola Company, 2015, retrieved from http://www.coca-colacompany.com/history/ ). The company’s success has occurred due to their devoted employees. Their human resource management department is very effective in terms of ensuring that the employees work to the standards set by the company. Coca-Cola’s success is grounded in the policies and cultures that have been developed by their HRM (Bell, 2004, p.176). Recruitment refers to any activity that an organization carries out in an aim to identify and attract potential employees (Still, 2006, p. 12). The main aim of the recruitment exercise is to attract qualified applicants to an available vacancy. Selection is the process of choosing the best applicant and offering them the job. It involves different forms of interviews, exercises, presentations and can also include a psychometric test. This paper will source information on recruitment and selection from the Coca-Cola’s website, written literature and interviews with employees working for the company. Coca-Cola values this role of the organization since it creates the first contact between them and their employee. For them to attract the best employees, the company advertises any vacancies on newspapers, their website, and other employer-employee platforms. The company website being the major and first-hand vacancy advertiser has an easy to use portal where interested people

Thursday, February 6, 2020

Pertussis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Pertussis - Essay Example Since the disease is contagious, it mainly spreads though air pollution. As the immunity system of the infants and children below 10 years of age is not as strong as that of the adults, the vulnerability of the former to the disease is more as compared to the latter. Besides, children and particularly infants are much less careful about the quality of food they eat, and need strict parental supervision and guidance to eat hygienic food. As infants crawl, their hands come in contact with the floor which is one of the ways they acquire the bacterial infection. In addition to that, infants tend to pick up anything they find lying on the floor and put it in the mouth. It is not out of the ordinary for an infant to pick up a contaminated thing like the left-over seed of a fruit lying on the floor, and take it to the mouth. Children play out-door very carelessly. They frequently fall on the ground while running and playing, and get their hands and bodies stacked with mud. â€Å"Family mem bers are responsible for more than three quarters of pertussis cases transmitted to infants, according to a new report† (One India News, 2007). Children’s lack of concern about the health and safety of the way they live and the food they eat are the prime factors that increase their vulnerability to Pertussis. There are certain cultures in which children are provided with more care and supervision as compared to other cultures. Factors that play a role in this include but are not limited to the general awareness about healthy living in the people, education of the parents, the economic strength of the country, and the level of cleanliness generally maintained in the homes and out-doors. Generally, advanced countries provide the children with an environment that is healthier and safer as compared to the environment children get in the underdeveloped and developing countries. The population of infants and children selected from the

Tuesday, January 28, 2020

Feudal Systems Essay Example for Free

Feudal Systems Essay The Japanese and European feudal systems were very much alike yet different in their own ways. Japan’s feudal system was composed of peasants, samurais, daimyos, shoguns and emperors. Then there was the European feudal system. It was composed of serfs, knights, church officials, nobles, kings and queens. In Japan, there was an emperor. The emperor did not do much, he was more like a figure head and he did not make any laws. He was just there to represent the country. The shogun was the person who not only make and pass laws, but controlled finances and the daimyos. The daimyos were lords that controlled samurai, which were warrior protectors for wealthy land owners. Samurai followed a code of behavior called the Bushido, or the â€Å"way of the warrior†. The Bushido stated that samurai were to be brave, loyal and honorable. The wouldn’t complain when they received physical hardship, they did not fear death. If a samurai was defeated or disobeyed their masters, they were to form a ceremonial suicide called Seppuku. It was a way to dishonor with defeat. Last but not least, there were the peasants. They were mostly farmers and traders. Unlike Japan’s feudal system, in the European feudal system, the king and queen controlled nobles, the church and peasants. Nobles or lords owned land and they would grant part of their land to peasants. The grant was called a fief. These peasants would use about two thirds of the land for farming and they would give some of the crops to the lord. Nobles and lords also controlled the knights. Knights were just like samurai in Japan, also they follow something similar to the Bushido. It is called the chivalry and is a system of rules that told of how knights should behave towards others. Both feudal systems were from different countries but they were very much alike.

Monday, January 20, 2020

A Handful of Optimism Essay -- Eliot Maddy Waste Land Essays

A Handful of Optimism Despite race, religion, sex, or age the world can be divided into two different groups. Those who see the glass as being half full and those who see the glass as being half empty. In other words, being either that of an optimist or a pessimist. Though a simple question, often times people find it difficult to answer. Just when one thinks they have decided that they are one or the other, they come across a song, poem, or an experience that makes them reevaluate the mind frame from that which they have normally embraced. T. S. Eliot’s famous quote from The Waste Land, "I can show you fear in a handful of dust," is one that has been the trigger, for many, in this self-evaluation process (1.30) Quite often, people do not participate or embrace this process of self-evaluation. Yet, it is these people who throw around phrases like ‘carpe diem’ and ‘don’t put off tomorrow, what you can do today’ when they are doing just the opposite. In the mind frame of a pessimist, one gets so wrapped up in the fact that they might die, that they miss out on living. The bottom line is that death is inevitable. A topic that Eliot discusses when referring to Phlebas’s death by water: "Gentile or Jew O you who turn the wheel and look to windward, Consider Phlebas, who was once handsome and tall as you" (4.319-321). In short Eliot was trying to say that one needs to learn from those who have gone on before them, and know they too will take a similar journey in life and death. It is this knowledge that is probably the driving force of the optimist. They know that they are going to die and choose to make the most out of their life. Though most people have at one point or another have had a fear of dying and been p... ...if one spends their whole life being jealous of others, then they will have lost the opportunity to live their own life. So, as the Beatles once said "Let it be." Maddy provides an example of this when Ade turns out to be the successful one while Santigie fails his exams and is envious of Ade. Whether it be in school, with friends, or in sports, it matters not what exams one passes in life. The truth is that one does not linger in the past or anticipate the future, but rather one lives in the present and accepts life as it comes for the good and the bad with a handful of optimism. Works Consulted Eliot, T. S. The Waste Land, Prufock, and Other Poems. New York: Dover, 1998. Life Application Study Bible. Trans. New International Version. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Maddy, Yulisa Amadu. No Past, No Present, No Future. 1973. , Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann-Reed, 1996.

Sunday, January 12, 2020

Autonomous Learning Essay

2.1 A General Review on Learner Autonomy Two classic definitions of autonomy influenced my study a lot when I set up my research programme.The first was put forward by Henri Holec in 1981, and the second by David Little in 1991. 2.1.1 Definitions of Autonomy â€Å"Learner autonomy is when the learner is willing and capable of taking charge of his/her own learning. The learner should be capable of determining the objectives;defining the contents and the progressions; selecting methods and techniques to be used; monitoring the procedure of acquisition, evaluating what has been acquired.†(Henri Holec,1981). â€Å"Autonomy is a capacity for detachment, critical reflection, decision making and independent action. It presupposes, but also entails, that the learner will develop a particular kind of psychological relation to the process and content of his learning†.(Little,1991). It is clear from this that autonomy is not a method of language learning – it is a capacity: the capacity to take control one’s own learning.(Benson, 2001:2)This seems to distinguish it from some other types of learning with which it is sometimes associated, such as: â€Å"self-study†, â€Å"distance learning† and â€Å"indepen dent learning†. The main point here is that most of these can be seen as ways of organizing learning, as methods. They may be more or less teacher-led and the degree of teacher control is not clear. Holec use the term â€Å"autonomy† to refer to a â€Å"capacity† and not a â€Å"method† It is a capacity that usually needs to be acquired, hence our emphasis is on â€Å"learning how to learn†. On a general note, the term autonomy has come to be used in at least five ways: the first is for situations in which learners study entirely on their own; the second is for a set of skills which can be learned and applied in self-directed learning; the third is for an inborn capacity which is suppressed by institutional education; the fourth is for the exercise of learners’ responsibility for their own learning; and the last is for the right of learners to determine the direction of their own learning. (Benson & Voller, 1997: 2) It is noteworthy that autonomy can be thought of in terms of a departure from education as a social process, as well as in terms of redistribution of power attending the construction of knowledge and the roles of the participants in the learning process. Autonomous language learning requires the learners to be responsible for their learning, including deciding their learning objective, choosing their learning materials, monitoring and adjusting their learning process and evaluating their learning results. There is broad agreement in the theoretical literature that learner autonomy grows out of the individual learner’s acceptance of responsibility for his or her own learning (e.g., Holec, 1981;Little, 1991). This means that learner autonomy is a matter of explicit or conscious intention:we cannot accept responsibility for our own learning unless we have some idea of what, why,and how we are trying to learn. The learner must take at least some of the initiatives that give shape and direction to the learning process, and must share in monitoring progress and evaluating the extent to which learning targets are achieved. The pedagogical justification for wanting to foster the development of learner autonomy rests on the claim that in formal educational contexts, reflectivity and self-awareness produce better learning. The autonomous learner shows initiative regarding learning, and shares in monitoring progress and evaluating the extent to which learning is achieved (Schunk, 2005).The ideas that cluster around the concept of learner autonomy have also been promoted under banners such as, â€Å"humanistic language teaching,† â€Å"collaborative learning,† â€Å"experiential learning,† and â€Å"the learning-centered classroom.† We prefer the term â€Å"Learner autonomy† because it implies a holistic view of the learner as an individual. This seems to us important for two reasons. First, it reminds us that learners bring to the classroom a personal history and personal needs that may have little in common with the assumed background and implied needs on which the curri culum is based. Second, it reminds us that the ultimate measure of success in second or foreign language learning is the extent to which the target language becomes a fully integrated part of the learner’s identity. In conlusion,some of the most well known definitions in present literature are: â€Å"Autonomy is the ability to take charge of one’s own learning† (Henri Holec,1981); â€Å"Autonomy is essentially a matter of the learner’s psychological relation to the process and content of learning† (David Little,1991); â€Å"Autonomy is a situation in which the learner is totally responsible for all the decisions concerned with his [or her] learning and the implementation of those decisions†. (Leslie Dickinson,1987); â€Å"Autonomy is a recognition of the rights of learners within educational systems†. (Benson,2001) 2.1.2 Theoretical Background of Learner Autonomy Autonomy is not developed by single, clearly defined theories or methods, its evolution has reflected a more general trend in language teaching; however, its independence from specific theories does not mean that theory is not relevant. In fact, many researchers in the literature seek justifications of learner autonomy from a wide variety of philosophical, psychological, and political sources. And some approaches to educational psychology— humanism, constructivism— had a profound impact on the advocacy of autonomous learning. A review of the two approaches to language education, especially to second language learning and teaching will be offered. 2.1.2.1 Constructivism Constructivism is one of the hottest topics in educational psychology. Constructivism is a new educational psychology school which is influenced by Piaget’s cognitive developmental psychology and Vygotsky’s social interactionism. Constructivism is described as a learning theory based on authentic and real-world situations. Students internalize and construct new knowledge based on past experiences. The constructivism theory is student-centered and encourages higher level processing skills to apply their working knowledge. In other words, â€Å"everyone makes their own sense of the world and the experiences that surround them. In this way the learner is brought into central focus in learning theory†(Williams M.&Burden R.L., 1997:2). The educational impact of constructivism is positive, in that instruction is based on student’s prior knowledge, allowing them to make significant connections and solve complex problems. Vygotsky’s point of view was that acquisition and participation were synergistic strategies in learning situations. Aspects of participation involved teaching in contexts that could be meaningful to students based on their personal and social history, negotiating, class discussions, small group collaborative learning with projects and tasks, and valuing meaningful activity over correct answers. Social Constructivism emphasizes that learning takes place through interactions with other students, teachers, and the world-at-large. (Vygotsky,1978) In terms of process of learning, acquiring and constructing new knowledge, the student plays an active role. The student brings past experiences and prior knowledge to the classroom and uses these to actively connect with new ideas or problems that are presented. ‘Knowing’ is being able to internalize the material, connecting it with things you already know. Students use higher level processing skills, such as evaluating, analyzing and synthesis to apply newly constructed knowledge to problems or situations. According to the theory of constructivism, student responsibility is greater, as they discover how new knowledge connects with prior knowledge. The learner continuously asks questions and guides their own learning process. Students learn that there is not just one way to solve problems, but rather multiple ways to finding answers. Typical classroom instruction, consistent with the constructivist learning theory may include: problem-based approach to teaching, hands-on activities, including the use of manipulatives, experimentation, and simulations. The constructivist theory allows teachers to be creative and innovative with teaching. In brief, constructivism believes that learning is a process in which learners construct new ideas or concepts based on their past knowledge. Constructivist learning theory advocates that learning is student-centered and instructed by teachers, which puts great emphasis on learners. Students are not passive receiver. Instead, they are active constructors. The learners select and transform information, construct hypotheses and make decisions relying on a cognitive structure. Cognitive structure (i.e. schema, mental models) provides meaning and organization to experiences and allows the individual to go beyond the information given. 2.1.2.2 Humanism Humanism is a school of thought that believes human beings are different from other species and possess capacities that cannot be found in animals. Humanists, therefore, give primacy to the study of human needs and interests. In humanistic view, the basic concern is the human potential growth and education is to enhance actualization and give free harness to one’s potential. â€Å"Humanistic approaches emphasize the importance of the inner world of the learner and place the individual’s thoughts, feelings, and emotions at the forefront of all human development†(Williams,M.&Burden, R.L. 1997:4). These aspects of the learning process are often unjustly neglected, yet they are vitally important if we are to understand human learning in its totality. There are five basic objectives of the humanistic view of education: the first is to promote positive self-direction and independence (development of the regulatory system);the second is to develop the ability to take responsibility for what is learned (regulatory and affective systems);the third is to develop creativity (divergent thinking aspect of cognition);the fourth is to arouse curiosity (exploratory behavior, a function of imbalance or dissonance in any of the systems);the last is to cultivate an interest in the arts (primarily to develop the affective/emotional system). 2.1.3 Teachers’ Role in Autonomous Learning In literature works there are many detailed descriptions of the teachers’ role in developing learner autonomy. According to Huttunen (1986), teachers should guide the learners in the process of their logical, psychological and ethical development towards autonomy. Their task is to enrich, balance, and clarify the learners’ experience and to help them to seek new experiences to structure and simplify experiences they need, and to find ways of associating the learners’ experiences with the various aspects of life in their culture, including its heritage; Higgs (1988) stated that in the process of learners’ autonomous learning teachers should act as a manager who is available as a resource, will create learners a supportive and nonthreatening learning environment, can motivate learners to achieve their potential and can help learners to be aware of institutional requirements and expectations associated with the discipline in which they are learning; according to Nunan (1993), teachers are readjusting their traditional roles and to the new ones. They become active participants, monitors, consultants and guides in the process of students’ language learning and help students to develop better learning strategies; Hill (1994) suggested that â€Å"since the decision to promote autonomy comes usually from the teacher, and the success of attempts to empower learners to become actively involved in their learning depends to a large extent on the teacher’s ability to redefine roles†; to Little (1999), he believes that teachers should be responsible for â€Å"deciding whether and to what extent it is possible for learners to determine their own learning objectiveness, select their own learning materials and evaluate their own learning process†; HuaWeifen (2001)believes that language teachers should enable students to set learning objectives, choose learning materials, develop the effective learning strategies, monitor their learning process and evaluate the learning results. She further proposes three roles of teachers in developing students’ independent learning: a counselor who helps learners to develop their own learning ability instead of making decisions for them, a facilitator who provides psychological, social support and technical support, and an information resource; Xiao Fei (2002) feels that teachers must adjust their counselors, roles from the â€Å"purveyors of language information’ to the organizers and managers of learning activities, and resource learning providing necessary help. Teacher serves as one of many resources for students, not necessarily the primary source of information. The teacher engages students in experiences that challenge previous conceptions of their existing knowledge. The teacher uses student responses in the planning of next lessons and seeks elaboration of students’ initial responses. The teacher encourages questions and discussion among students by asking open-ended questions. The teacher assists students to understand their own cognitive processes (metacognition) by using cognitive terminology such as classify, analyze, create, organize, hierarchy, etc. when framing tasks. The teacher encourages and accepts student autonomy and initiative by being willing to let go of classroom control The teacher makes available raw data and primary resources, along with manipulative and interactive physical materials. The teacher does not separate knowing from the process of finding out. Nouns and verbs. The teacher facilitates clear communication from students in writing and verbal responses, from the point of view that communication comes from ones deep structural understanding of the concepts being communicated. When they can communicate clearly and meaningfully, they have truly integrated the new learning. The teacher’s role is to anticipate and address student misconceptions while presenting authentic questions and real-world problems or situations. The teacher does not provide clear answers on how to solve these problems or questions, but guides students to make sense of how things work according to what their past experiences are and how it applies to the new knowledge they are constructing. 2.2 Input Theory 2.2.1 Krashen’s theory of language acquisition During the late 1970s Krashen put forward an account of SLA first known as the Monitor Model after its main claim about the role of monitoring in language learning (Krashen, 1979). In the early 1980s this was expanded into a broader-based model, described in Krashen (1981;1982), which consisted of five linked hypotheses: acquisition/learning, monitor, natural order, input, and affective filter. The aspect of the model that became most developed was termed the Input Hypothesis, the title of Krashen’s last major theoretical book (Krashen, 1985). In order to better understand the Input Hypothesis, it is necessary to have a general idea about the five hypotheses as they are closely related to each other. They are:The Acquisition-Learning Hypothesis;The Monitor Hypothesis ;The Natural Order Hypothesis; The Input Hypothesis ;The Affective Filter Hypothesis. Krashen summarizes the five hypotheses with a single claim: â€Å"People acquire second languages only if they obtain comprehensible input and if their affective filters are low enough to allow the input `in’ †¦In other words, comprehensible input is the essential ingredient for second language acquisition. All other factors thought to encourage or cause second-language acquisition work only when they contribute to comprehensible input and/or a low affective filter.† [pic] 2.2.2 Input hypothesis in second language learning The Input Hypothesis is Krashen’s attempt to explain how the learner acquires a second language. In other words, this hypothesis is Krashen’s explanation of how second language acquisition takes place. So, the Input Hypothesis is only concerned with â€Å"acquisition†, not â€Å"learning†. According to this hypothesis, the learner improves and progresses along the â€Å"natural order† when he/she receives second language â€Å"input† that is one step beyond his/her current stage of linguistic competence. For example, if a learner is at stage â€Å"i†, then acquisition takes place when he/she is exposed to â€Å"comprehensible input† that belongs to level â€Å"i+1†. Since not all of the learners can be at the same level of linguistic competence at the same time, Krashen suggests that natural communicative input is the key to designing a syllabus, ensuring in this way that each learner will receive some â€Å"i+1†in put that is appropriate for his /her current stage of linguistic competence. The Input Hypothesis is simply stated: â€Å"Humans acquire language in only one wayä ¸â‚¬by understanding messages or by receiving `comprehensible input†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ (Krashen, 1985ï ¼Å'2). That is to say, language acquisition depends upon trying to comprehend what other people are saying. Provided that the learner hears meaningful speech and endeavors to understand it, acquisition will occur (cited in Cook, 1993). The theory (Krashen 1981;1985; 1989) also makes the following claims, as Ellis (1994) has summarized:Learners progress along the natural order by understanding input that contains structures a little bit beyond their current level of competence. Although comprehensible input is necessary for acquisition to take place, it is not sufficient, as learners also need to be affectively disposed to `let in’ the input they comprehend. Input becomes comprehensible as a result of simplification and with the help of contextual and extralinguistic clues; â€Å"fine-tuning† (i.e. ensuring that learners receive input rich in the specific linguistic property they are due to acquire next) is not necessary. Speaking is the result of acquisition, not its cause; learner production does not contribute directly to acquisition. It is understood that to be useful to the learner, the input must be neither too difficult to understand nor too easy. This is conceptualized by Krashen in terms of the learner’s current level, called â€Å"i†, and the level that the learner will get to next, called â€Å"i+1†.For the learner to progress rather than remain static, the input has always to be slightly beyond the level at which he or she is completely at home; the gap between the learner’s â€Å"i† and the â€Å"i+1†that he or she needs is bridged by information drawn from the situation and from the learner’s previous experience. â€Å"We also use context, our knowledge of the world, our extra-linguistic competence to help us understand† (Krashen, 1982, 21).Krashen emphasizes that input does not need to be â€Å"finely tuned† in the sense that it is linguistically adjusted to contain â€Å"i+1†.It requires only rough tuning, which is automatic if the focus is on successful communication. 2.2.3 The web-based meltimedia language input for autonomous learning Students need accessible materialsï ¼Å¡comprehensible input, the underlying assumption is that the learner needs help identifying the critical features in â€Å"the wealth of the linguistic and nonlinguistic information they receive† (Plass & Jones, 2005, p. 470). This means that the supports embedded in a multimedia instructional approach should guide what students notice in a word, sentence, passage, or image. The autonomous leaners need to be provided with more and up-to-date language input in as many ways as possible, such as vedio and audio materials downloaded from the internet. This strategy can also be accomplished through immediate and focused teacher feedback. When a teacher highlights portions of an assignment that require revisions, the student’s ability to evaluate and revise her work increases. These strategies help the learner understand task directions and focus on pertinent informati on to comprehend or revise. 2.3 Web-Based Language Teaching and Learning 2.3.1.The development of web-based language teaching and learning Web-based language learning is developed from Computer-Assisted Language Learning. It may be defined as â€Å"the search for and study of applications of the computer in language teaching and learning† (Levy, 1997:1).As for teaching, the lecturer presents a language teaching plan in a logical order and learns whether the students’ responses are correct or not correct by computers. As for learning, the language learners use computers to monitor their own progress, and provide themselves with proper lessons, materials, etc. Richards. J.C.(1998) also points out that CALL refers to the use of computer in the teaching and learning of second or foreign language. The CALL in the academic literature has been existed for about forty years. The subject is interdisciplinary by nature, and it has evolved out of previous efforts to find ways of using computer for teaching or for instructional purpose across a wide var iety of subjects areas, with the weight of knowledge and breadth of application in language learning ultimately resulting in a more specialized field of study (Levy, 1997). According to Warschauer and Healey (1998), CALL has experienced three stages in the last forty years: behavioristic, communicative and integrative. Each stage will be featured by its important projects and development despite the fact that there is in fact no clear-cut line among stages (Hu&Jiang, 2002:5 34-538). The first stage of CALL, Behavioristic Call, started from the 1950s and applied in 1960s and 1970s, was on the basis of the then dominant behaviorist theories of learning. Programs of this stage were repetitive language drills and can be concluded as â€Å"drill and practice†. One of the most complicated projects of this period is the PLATO (Programmed Logic/Learning for Automated Teaching Operations) system, which operates on its own special PLATO hard ware, including central computers and terminals. The vocabulary drills, brief grammar explanations drills, and translation tests at various intervals (Ahmad, Corbett, Rogers&Sussex, 1985)were included. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, behavioristic CALL was replaced because of two important factors. First, behavioristic approaches to language learning had been out of stage at both the theoretical and the pedagogical level. Secondly, the application of microcomputer provided a whole new range of chances. The stage was set for a new era of CALL-Communicative CALL. One of the main advocates of this new approach was John Underwood, who in 1984 proposed a series of â€Å"premises for `Communicative’ CALL† (Underwood, 1984:52). According to him, the Communicative CALL focuses more on using forms. The teacher uses the computer to teach grammar implicitly rather than explicitly; allow and encourage students to utter naturally rather than just manipulate prefabricated language; it does not assess everything the students do nor give them congratulatory message, lights, or bells; avoids telling students that they are incorrect and is flexible to a variety of student responses; it uses the target language exclusively and creates an environment in which using the target language feels natural, both on and off the screen; and will never try to do anything that a book can do just as well. Many types of CALL programs were developed and applied during this period. Integrative computer assisted language learning covers the more recent development of 1990s, and even the multimedia computers and the Internet. This period was greatly influenced by the growth of constructivist approach, which believes that knowledge is not obtained through the transmission of teachers, but the meaning construction of learners themselves in a certain social and cultural context with the others, including their teachers and their peers, and also the use of resources. Furthermore, this approach emphasizes that learners are the necessary component of learning main body in the cognitive process and the active constructor of knowledge meanings, and teachers take the roles as organizers, guiders and facilitators. Also, the importance of authentic learning environment and social interaction is emphasized. This phase is featured by the use of multimedia, hypermedia and interactive technologies to enhance comprehensive skills. 2.3.2 web-based language learning context and input thoery Compared with the traditional language teaching and learning context, web-based language learning would expose college students to greater amount of language information input. On the one hand, the colorful, multi-facet, and limitless information provided by the internet and computer programs attracts the learners’ attention. It could also make their English study much easier. It is obvious that, the multimedia, hypermedia and Internet enrich the information input and to a large extent promote the students’ curiosity, interest and motivation in English learning. On the other hand, the multi-facet or multi-channel information input may be in some way distract learners’ attention and make learners feel at a loss in their autonomous learning after class, thus weaken the learners’ productivity of English language. Therefore, to help learners to wisely choose the useful information to develop their own autonomous language learning models become the teachersâ₠¬â„¢ focuses. 2.4 Assessment in autonomou learning In a recent report, Dam and Legenhausen (1999: 90) claim that learners’ ability to reflect critically on their learning is a measure of the effectiveness of the learning environment. They use the term ‘evaluation’ to refer to the metacognitive activity of reviewing past and future learning experiences in order to enhance learning, and claim that: In an autonomous classroom . . . [evaluation] is viewed as the pivot of a good learning/teaching cycle . . . Evaluation has a retrospective and prospective function, in which the learning experiences of the past are reflected upon and transformed into plans for future action. The potential for learner autonomy increases as an individual’s learning awareness grows. Therefore activities which prompt learners to reflect on their learning aim to enhance learners’ insight into their learning processes. Assessments for autonomous learners may cover a wide area of knowledge,for example, reading an authentic languag e text or a small, tightly focused area ,for example, questions at the end of a worksheet on a specific grammar point. Assessments may serve one or more of a number of purposes, such as confidence building, demonstrating learning gain, or motivation, and they may be constructed in a number of ways, for example, by the teacher, by the learner, collaboratively or as a portfolio (Gardner and Miller, 1999). Assessments with any combination of the above criteria can be self-assessments because this term refers simply to the mode of administration, i.e., assessments which are self-administered. It is reasonable to assume that autonomous learners would benefit from feedback on chievements in their learning through engaging in some kind of assessment procedure. The individualised nature of autonomous learning makes large-scale, institutionalised assessments problematic although an autonomous learner may make the decision to include these as part of a personalised assessment regime. Self-assessment seems to accommodate itself much more easily to the diverse and flexible requirements of an autonomous learner. Indeed, it has been argued that self-assessment is an integral part of autonomous learning (Holec, 1981; Tudor, 1996; Thomson, 1996; Gardner and Miller, 1999) and that all learners engage in it (Holec, 1985) although not necessarily knowingly (Thomson, 1996). Dickinson (1987) argues that self-evaluation of performance is an important skill for all language learners but of particular importance to autonomous language learners. Thomson (1996) implemented a self-assessment project as a way of getting learners involved in self-directed learning. The effectiveness of self-assessment is detailed by Nunan (1996: 21), who states that, â€Å"Autonomy is enhanced when learners are encouraged to self-monitor and self-assess.† An important aspect of the monitoring process for learners is simply knowing how they are doing in their learning. They want to know if they are becoming more proficient as users of the target language. Brindley (1989: 60) says that self-assessment has five purposes. Firstly, learners have greater responsibility for assessment of their proficiency and progress; secondly it lets them diagnose their strong and weak areas; thirdly it lets them compare their present level with the level they wish to obtain; fourthly it helps them become more motivated; and lastly it helps them to develop their own criteria for monitoring their progress.However, Brindley (1989: 61) also points out that there are objections to self-assessment. â€Å"The idea that learners can be reliable judges of their own performance is by no means universally accepted.† Therefore self-assessment is a skill, that has to be learned. Brindley (1989: 83) divides this learning into technical training, and psychological training. Technical training is to help the students judge their own performance, and consists of self-monitoring of language use, development of criteria, definition of objectives, and knowledge about language learning. Self-assessments help learners monitor their level of success in specific learning tasks. A series of self-assessments will contribute to monitoring progress towards specific learning objectives. They can also have a motivational effect. Success breeds confidence. Self-assessment does not always demonstrate success but where it does, even on a small scale, learners’ motivation will be enhanced. Teachers also need to know how well learners are doing. They have a professional responsibility to help learners learn. Gardner and Miller (1999: 210) suggest the assessment should contain the following pieces of information: the purpose of the assessment, the benefit to the learner, the procedure for conducting the assessment, the procedure for marking the assessment, a suggested marking scale, a choice of follow up actions based on the score achieved.

Saturday, January 4, 2020

People Diagnosed With Anorexia Nervosa - 1136 Words

After reading the two studies by Serpell from 1999 and 2002, as well as watching the movie Dying to be Thin, I have several opinions about the people diagnosed with Anorexia Nervosa (AN) and Bulimia Nervosa (BN). In addition, I understand where certain types of therapy and practices could be introduced to help change the thought process of these individuals. The movie, Dying to be Thin, opens with a ballerina saying, â€Å"If they want thin I’ll give them thin.† She then continues to describe AN by stating that you feel successful and powerful because you have learned the secret to be thin. Listening to her, I felt like she had been brainwashed or possessed. This disease is so powerful that people are willing to die. Kate Dillon, a model described in the movie, talked about being called â€Å"overweight Kate† in junior high. She lost 30 pounds in 7th grade and grew several inches. Everyone now liked her. Eleena, a ballerina, was told to lose weight at the a ge of 12. Her teacher pinched the skin on her back. She became anorexic and said she felt the happiest she had ever felt. She was getting attention, better roles, felt nurtured and taken care of, and her teachers loved her. It is truly amazing the reaction these girls got from others when they lost weight. I would imagine that the feeling was so euphoric, almost like a high, that it could not be stopped. It became an addiction or obsession. Erica Goodman, a 54 year old retired ballerina, stated â€Å"the scale becomes yourShow MoreRelatedAnorexia Nervos A Type Of Eating Disorder1677 Words   |  7 PagesAnorexia Nervosa, a type of eating disorder, is occurring to many individuals in today’s time. To be diagnosed with Anorexia Nervosa a person must meet the following criteria: going more than eight waking hours without eating, skipping meals, limiting the amount of calories being taken in, and eating as little as possible when meals are consumed (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Behaviors can be expressed to certain degrees and can ultimately be learned and acquired by other individuals.Read MoreEating Disorders And The Modern Era1481 Words   |  6 PagesDiagnosis Eating disorders are becoming more common in the Modern Era. Millions of people all across the U.S. are being diagnosed with an eating disorder. Each eating disorder that an individual can be diagnosed with has different characteristics. When questioning if someone has an eating disorder, the individual typically begins to eat differently than usual if even at all and cares more about their appearance and body weight. There are different stages to one’s illness that determines theRead MoreEating Disorders And Anorexia Nervosa782 Words   |  4 Pagesbinge eating. An individual experiencing this disorder will usually not Binge use compensatory behaviors, such as self-induced vomiting or over-exercising after they binge eat. Many people with Binge Eating Disorder are overweight or obese. 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Bulimia nervosa is where an individual binge eats andRead MoreEye Opener : The Mind And Body1478 Words   |  6 PagesEven though some people believe it is normal to have an eating disorder, people should be aware of the different kind of eating disorders because it is easy to develop these kinds of illnesses and too many innocent teenagers are dying from these unhealthy life choices. There are different types of eating disorders but the most common are Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, and Binge Eating. It is only human to wish to look differently or want to lose weight; however, many young people choose an unhealthyRead MoreHow Eating Disorders Affect Health772 Words   |  3 Pagesindividual’s life and affects their health by disrupting body functions and daily activities (National Eating Disorders Association). 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The individual is severely underweight and thinks they are fat or has a fear of becoming fat (Comer, 2013). There are two types of anorexia. The first type is restricting-type anorexia. The individual restricts food intake to a dangerous degree. The second type is binge-eating/purging type anorexia. The individual purposely regurgitates after eating uses laxatives and/or diuretics (Comer, 2013). Females compose 90-95%Read MoreIs Anorexia Nervosa a Mental Disorder?1753 Words   |  7 PagesIs Anorexia Nervosa a Mental Disorder? Anorexia Nervosa has the highest mortality rate of any psychiatric illness. That fact should be enough for people to understand that Anorexia is a debilitating, uncontrollable mental disorder, but so many disagree and say its sufferers are simply over obsessive dieters. This is simply not true, not one of its victims wakes up and decides to become Anorexic or dangerously thin. Every person who has had Anorexia will tell you how miserable and terrified