Aristotle's Poetics vs. The Lottery and The Bourne Identity Essay

Aristotle's Poetics vs. The Lottery and The Bourne Identity - Essay Example For example, at the beginning of the story we have people gathering together for what seems to be a normal lottery. Then, we realize that this is no ordinary lottery because all the people seem nervous and afraid of winning. The stones that the children stack up are a foreshadowing of what is going to happen, but it doesn’t necessarily give away the ending. The reader knows that winning this lottery isn’t a good thing, so they may now be speculating about why it is such a bad thing to win. Getting the reader intrigued without giving away the ending drives the structure and arrangements of the incidents that occur in this tragedy. In this story, the characters are of secondary importance to the plot and the message that is conveyed. What gives the story it’s â€Å"soul† is the order of events which, in turn, builds up suspense and momentum. In the movie, â€Å"The Bourne Identity,† the arrangement and structure of the incidents are also very importan t in moving the plot forward. The first incident occurs when Jason Bourne wakes up in the fishing boat and doesn’t know who he is. Every incident that follows is a result of him trying to figure out who he is and who he works for. Thus, the plot is structured so that it moves from instance to instance based on a problem that requires a resolution.

Elementary education effectiveness in Mississippi Essay Example for Free

Elementary education effectiveness in Mississippi Essay Mississippi consists of four-hundred and eighty-six thousand people living in poverty; ten percent of children belong to families that are not able to meet their needs (2005). Recent statistics show that those living in poverty are fifty-one percent African American and approximately forty-seven percent Caucasian (2005). Research has shown that the socioeconomic status of students influence the degree of success they will experience. (Donahue Grigg, 2003) Mississippi has varying degrees of reading proficiency among school districts. In the 2003-2004 school year, six districts, consisting of one elementary school, five middle schools and one high school, were identified as â€Å"in need for improvement†, based on the reading and math proficiency of its students. For the purpose of this study, only schools reflecting a lack in reading proficiency will be discussed. The U. S. Secretary of Education, Margaret Spelling announced in a November 2005 press release, â€Å"Eighty percent of the fastest-growing jobs require at least some post secondary education. Yet far too many students are leaving high school unprepared for college†. Improved student achievement can provide students better preparation for college, thus closing the achievement gap. Low socioeconomic schools, although improving, are still behind the majority of middle-to-upper class schools in America (Donahue Grigg, 2003). There are several factors to consider when looking at closing the achievement gap found in low socioeconomic schools. One factor is that â€Å"young, low-income and minority children are more likely to start school without having gained important school readiness skills, such as recognizing letters and counting† (2003). As Donahue and Grigg’s report showed, when students start school already behind others, they are likely to continue such patterns if not addressed early on. Existing studies demonstrate the problems researchers are having addressing literacy issues early on in a students academic career. Researches are trying to find appropriate strategies to combat the achievement gap with many variables which will be discussed further in detail, in the following study. Purpose of the Study The following is a detailed investigation into possible explanations of varying degrees of reading achievement found in Mississippi and what can be done to maintain a higher overall proficiency in reading among Mississippi students, while satisfying the requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. Many schools have chosen to implement a â€Å"school-wide approach† to closing the achievement gap; however, when dealing with schools consisting primarily of low-income students, there are other factors to consider when choosing a strategy. The proposed study will focus on improving reading skills in high-poverty schools found in Mississippi by comparing different techniques widely used and creating a more targeted strategy for low-income students. When deciding on an appropriate strategy for improving reading comprehension there are a few factors one must consider. The following questions will outline the factors to be researched in this study. Research Questions 1. What impact does social economic status have on the achievement gaps found in the State of Mississippi? 2. What are the contributing factors found in Mississippi schools that are demonstrating low reading scores among economically disadvantaged students? 3. Are there high-poverty schools in Mississippi which demonstrate positive improvements in reading scores? What are the strategies used? 4. How does implementing Theory into Practice (TIP) encourage positive student achievement in disadvantaged schools? Hypothesis To affectively close low socioeconomic achievement gaps in reading, strong emphasis on establishing proficient reading ability should be made in elementary school. Nature of the Study The research conducted in this study will be an investigation of existing literature regarding techniques used in improving reading skills, exemplary schools demonstrating such techniques and finally, a suggested strategy to use when applying research to low socioeconomic schools with low reading proficiency found in Mississippi school districts. Significance of the Study The significance of this study is that by identifying factors contributing to the achievement gap found in low socioeconomic school districts, as well as investigating into existing programs that have had a positive influence on reading performance scores in other high-poverty schools is that, school administrators and policy makers will have a better basis in which to improve upon existing programs and interventions that would be more financially attainable than starting new programs. The high cost of starting new programs such as; creating new assessment strategies, providing more staff and researchers as well as other costly planning and implementing variables, often times are not practical for low-economic schools. While children of today are growing up in a world where data are being revealed at an alarming rate and knowledge is simply a click away, reading plays an increasingly crucial role in society (Topping Paul, 1999). The ability to read is not only fundamental for understanding and mastery of every school subject students will encounter, but literacy also plays a critical and crucial role in students social and economic lives (Snow, Bums, Griffin, 1998). As a result, no other factor will have a greater impact on the success of students in Mississippi than their ability to read. With such an emphasis placed on the importance of reading achievement, educational leaders must clearly articulate the expectation that all students can become successful readers, while providing the most effective strategies and opportunities for students to succeed in reading and adopt lifelong reading practices. (Okpala, et al. , 2001) Definitions of Terms Action Team for Partnership- This partnership is also known as a School Improvement Team or a School Council. Although the ATP members oversee the schools partnership program, other teachers, parents, students, administrators, and community members also may lead family and community involvement activities (ATP website). Adequate Yearly Progress- AYP requires that schools hold the same high standards for all their students; regardless of racial or ethnic background, socioeconomic status and English proficiency Core Academic Subjects- These subjects include: English, language arts and reading, arts, civics, government and history, mathematics and science, foreign languages, as well as, economics and geography. Elementary School- a nonprofit institution which includes, public school, day or residential school and elementary charter schools which State law mandated elementary education. Family Literacy Services The services provided to participants on a voluntary basis that foster a positive change in families. These changes include, providing families with interactive activities between parents and child concerning literacy, teaching parents to take an active role in their children’s education, teaching self-sufficiency by providing parental literacy training, and providing education to children which is age-appropriate and prepares them for school and life experiences. Highly Qualified (in reference to public elementary or secondary school teacher) – A highly qualified teacher will possess a State certification for teaching or holds a license to teach in a particular state due to passing the State exam and is employed in a teaching position after meeting all required testing, training and educational requirements satisfactory to the State, district and school regulations. Mentoring- A responsible elder who provides positive leadership and guidance to a child as a positive role model in that child’s life. A mentor mission is to help a child to one day become a responsible adult. Minority- a group of students which do not demonstrate the majority’s characteristics, such as socioeconomic status, ethnic background or other key characteristics. Other Staff- staff found within an institution such as personnel, guidance counselors, and administration and teachers aides. Limitations In her 2005 press release Secretary Spelling said, â€Å"we all hear a lot of stories about why schools are missing Adequate Yearly Progress, but we don’t hear much about how thousands of other schools are making it and closing the achievement gap†. This study is limited by location; its main concentration being primarily on Mississippi schools, programs and outcomes. The primary research method is investigating existing literature, as such; there is substantial literature on the failures of many schools trying to improve student achievement; however there is very little literature depicting success. One other limitation to consider is that this study focuses on reading proficiency; however; to get the most accurate depiction of a schools success is to consider all core academic subjects.

Essay --

Phillips, of the Netherlands and Matsushita, of Japan are both companies that focus on electrical technology. With their prominence being located in the consumer electronics industry, it is important to note that the world as a whole is moving towards a more technological focus. As the world is moving in the direction of a more technological society with the consumer electronics industry growing, it was suitable for both Phillips and Matsushita to expand their horizons and operate internationally. The growing demand of technology requires a need for companies to operate on a global scale. Moreover, companies also find foreign operation as a means of cutting costs while still producing quality products through the use of outsourcing. The ultimate financial goes is to meet the needs of a market and generate a profitable turn in the process, which is accessible through foreign commerce. Were both Phillips and Matsushita to decide to stay local, they would quickly lose profit to a large r corporation that is driving to meet the global needs of its consumers and eventually be bought out or simply go bankrupt. Phillips built its success on a worldwide portfolio of responsive national organizations. The company chose to utilize a localization strategy. This means that they focused on altering the properties and characteristics of their product’s to suit the foreign market’s language, political, legal, and cultural differences. In order to concentrate on local responses, they used highly self-sufficient national organizations but further on adopted a strategy of having each singular product be limited to one specialized division. Matsushita on the other hand, built its success on its centralized, highly efficient operations in Japan. Un... ...al for the companies to have all of their resources be independent, rather than relying on other aid through outsourcing. Ultimately, each of these corporations within the consumer electronics industry have come a long way. They have survived in a business society that has readily evolved and moved towards a whole new era of technology. It is still imperative that corporations do business internationally on a global scale in order to better meet the need of consumers within their industry. However, the ways of doing this have altered with a number of strategic possibilities. Phillips and Matsushita each incorporated a different strategy from one another, with each seeing its profits and downfalls. As the economy and industry have evolved, so must Phillips and Matsushita in order to maintain a stance of being a power player within the consumer electronics industry.

Brazil Why We Fear the 20th Century Essay -- essays papers

Brazil Why We Fear the 20th Century Why We Fear The 20th Century In the early 1980's, a vision of dystopia was lying in the mind of Terry Gilliam. That vision was his future film Brazil to be written by Tom Stoppard, Charles McKeown, and himself. The movie was filmed in Wembley, England by Lee International Film Studios. After being a remarkable success during its release in Europe in 1984, Brazil had much more difficulties with its release in the United States. Terry Gilliam had previously signed a contract with Universal Studios for an expected 132-minute movie. Brazil, as released in Europe was 142 minutes long. Universal Studios took this opportunity to edit the film as they chose to make it a more marketable film from their perspective. Unfortunately for Terry Gilliam, this meant that they would completely reconstruct the meaning of the movie. He quickly took to doing his own re-editing of the movie to fit it in the 132 minute prerequisite and turned it over in January of 1985. Once this was done, Universal Studios no longer had the right to change Gilliam's movie and instead insisted on not releasing it. Infuriated by his work being put on the shelf, Terry Gilliam took out a full-page advertisement in Variety magazine with the words: Dear Sid Sheinberg,when are going to release my film 'BRAZIL'? Although this advertisement did not get his film released it did create quite a stir among the Los Angeles movie critics. In fact, they were so curious about the movie that the film was played privately in their homes and getting fantastic reviews. The movie did so well, that it ended up winning Best Picture, Best Screenplay, and Best Direction. With much reluctance and little advertising, Universal Studios to released the movie in December of 1985. (http:home.sol.no~frittz) This final release is what still holds the fans of today. Every frame of the movie is speaking to its audience about the issues surrounding the twentieth century and particularly the late seventies and early eighties. It can speak so well of the entire century because the setting itself is unclear about when the events of the film are occurring. In the opening sequence to the movie, 8:49 pm (pause) somewhere in the 20th century, appears across the screen. The people are dressed in 1930's fashions using technologies, some of which are beyond the ... ...ther, who wore the hat, was the ‘perfect’ individual in Brazil’s society. She spent lots of money and felt the government was doing a wonderful job by making it possible for her to think about nothing but her plastic surgery. Reagan not only increased the gap between the classes, he dramatically increased peoples urge to buy because it was the popular thing to do. America’s government was frighteningly close to the Ministry of Information when it came to pushing products. Slogans about buying and being American were one and the same. Brazil tackles an enormous amount of concerns about progress in the twentieth century. Those issues included: government control, the internet, invasion of privacy, separation of classes, consumerism, and technology. Though the specifics of the issues were different between decades, they were always on the forefront during this century. In about two hours, Terry Gilliam managed to name them all. Though Brazil itself seems very detached from the real world, the amount of parallels is astonishing. Overall, Gilliam encourages awareness. That progress and its brothers are not inherently evil but that they must be controlled, cared for and attended to.

Technology Education and National Development

TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION AND NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT: THE PLACE OF INFRASTRUCTURE BY SUBAIR, S. TAYO AND ASHIRU, AL-MAHROOF. OLASEEWO DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONAL ADMINISTRATION FACULTY OF EDUCATION UNIVERSITY OF LAGOS AKOKA – LAGOS BEING A PAPER PRESENTED AT THE NIGERIAN ASSOCIATION FOR EDUCATIONAL ADMINISTRATION AND PLANNING (NAEAP) INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE VENUE:JULIUS BERGER AUDITORIUM UNIVERSITY OF LAGOS DATE:24TH – 27TH SEPTEMBER 2007 AbstractTechnology education has been defined as a continuous process of special education and training imparted in individuals for them to achieve socio-economic independence. One major essence of technology education is self-sustenance and social development. This paper takes a cursory look at the factors germane to functional technology education and its implications for national development, by examining the concepts of technology education, national development, infrastructure and goals of technology education.The paper goes further to as ses the development status of Nigeria, the relevant of infrastructure in the provision of viable technology education and some areas along policies, practices, attitudes, and sensitization of the public towards imbibing technology education that can foster national development. Introduction The basis of Nigeria’s philosophy of education is the integration of the individual into a sound and effective citizen, such a philosophy as articulated in the National Policy on Education (Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2004).The goal of national development is hardly realizable without technology, which serves as a vehicle for the acquisition of appropriate knowledge, skills, abilities and competencies of both mental and physical nature. This is equipment for the individual to live in his society, and to acquire a relevant and balanced knowledge of facts about local and world phenomena. The etymology of technology is from Greek word ‘tekhne’, which refers to an art or craft, a nd ‘logia’ which means area of study. Simply defined, technology is a science of crafting.Collins English Dictionary (2005, pg. 1675) defines technology as the application of practical or mechanical sciences to industry or commerce, the methods, theory and practices governing such application and the total knowledge and skills available to any human society. Education, as defined by Adesina, Fagbamiye and Talabi (1985) is a tool for the integration of the individuals effectively into a society to enable them achieve self social, economic, political, scientific, cultural and technological progress.Now, in the era of globalization, the growing importance of trans-border education provisions particularly, in the area of technology is quite understandable. Generally, stakeholders are anxious to see that educational institutions deliver what they should deliver and that what they deliver produces desirable outcomes. These desirable outcomes include, among others, changes in structures, attitudes and institutions as well as the acceleration of economic growth, the reduction of inequality and eradication of absolute poverty.Consequently, in addressing the issue of national development vis-a-vis technology education, it is of immense necessity to show the understanding of the phenomenon development and also to harness the indices of development before we can decide what we look out for in a developed, under-developed, developing nation and so on. The Concept of Technology Education According to Adeogun (2004), Ogunranti (1988) and Ukeje (1991), technology is the application of science and scientific knowledge to make the world more efficient using industrial methods.Technology can also be viewed as the sum of the ways in which a social group provides for themselves with the materials of civilization, thus science and technology go hand-in-hand. It could be considered permissible then to say that technology is a systematic approach in an integrated process to achieve practical purpose or achieve an end product. Hence, technology involves a practical engagement, that is, the act of doing, which is meant to solve human problems scientifically and systematically. Translated from its Latin root, ‘educo’ or ‘educare’, the word education means ‘to lead’. In other words, education implies showing the way.In principle, education is the process by which a person or group of persons lead in the act of acquiring new knowledge or experience. Ajelabi (2000) views education as implying the experience that a person gets in contact with or which one undergoes with or without the school. According to Collins Dictionary (2005, pg. 433), education is the act or process of imparting knowledge, especially at school, college or university, the art or process of acquiring knowledge, the knowledge or training acquired by this process, the theory of teaching and learning; or a particular kind of special directives (inst ructions) or training.From the foregoing, an operational definition of technology education required for this paper projects technology education as a continuous process of special education, training and directives imparted in individuals for the development of innovative ideas to ensure socio-economic independence. It could be argued that the type of education which Nigeria pupils and students are exposed to at different levels of education in the school system today cannot favour the accomplishment of the Millennium Development Goals.This can be substantiated with the concern about quality which is uppermost in any educational discourse all over the world, and Nigeria in particular. The United Nations Education Scientific and Cultural Organization (1999) observes that quality in education is a multi-dimensional concept which should embrace â€Å"all functions and activities: teaching, academic programmes, research and scholarship, staffing, students, buildings, facilities, equip ment, services to the community and academic environment†.To show that one is educated means that all aspects of his/her life is transformed to influence and be influenced by self, physical, social, political, economical and spiritual environments. For this reason, technology education should focus on productive skills that are saleable to the world, thus making such a country a power to associate with. The Concept of National Development National development is rooted in a force of change than can raise expectations, through sustainable and broad-based economic growth.It could also be perceived as the totality of all activities within a nation whose main goal is to raise the living standards and general well being of the people. Collins English Dictionary (2005, pg. 443) defines development as the act or process of growing or developing or the product of developing. The Cambridge International Dictionary of English (1996, pg 377) defines development as growing or becoming mor e advanced or a recent important event which is the latest in a series of related events.For the purpose of this paper, national development means the satisfaction and sustenance of the social, political and economic needs of the people of a state (nation). It could also be thought of as planned activities which focus on increasing and enlarging the capacities so that they can successfully handle greater positions in a nation. National development usually focuses on improving the conceptual skills – the intellectual and abilities needed to handle complex situations and do a better job.With economic needs, a change in the economic and social super-structure of the society is guaranteed. It is an improvement in the techniques of production in the consumption choices open to the average citizen, in the health of the citizen, in the behaviour of citizen and so on. It involves both quantitative and non-quantitative aspects. Also, it involves reduction in income inequality, unemplo yment and poverty (Adeogun, 2003).Bannock (1977) opines that economic development is related to the process of growth in total and per capita income of developing nations accompanied by fundamental changes in the structures of their economies. Accordingly, these changes generally consist of the increasing importance of industrial, as opposed to agricultural, activity, reduction of dependence on imports from the more advanced producer and consumer goods, and dependence on agricultural or mineral products as main exports, and a diminishing reliance on aids from other countries.Accompanying this economic process are attendant political and socio-cultural reforms aimed at resolving such problems as cultural deprivation, ignorance, political instability and poverty. Thus, national development can be perceived as the totality of all the activities within a nation whose main goal is to raise the living standards and general well-being of the people. The Concept of Infrastructure According to Coombs (1991), the educational system is a function of the quality and quantity of inputs. Of significance are the buildings, equipment and space.This view gains the endorsement of Ejiogu (1984) and Nwagwu (1983) who note that of the four important factors in an attempt to balance the qualitative and quantitative growth of any educational system is the quality and number of infrastructure in the form of buildings, machinery and equipment; their maximal usage and proper maintenance culture of the students, staff and community members that use such facilities. Infrastructure, as stated by Ehiametalor (2001) are the operational inputs of every instructional programme and they constitute elements that are necessary for teaching and learning.Such include buildings, laboratories, machinery, furniture and electrical fixtures. In specific terms, Bosah (1997) opines that infrastructure represent the empirical relevance of the totality of the school environment for the realization of the s chool business. He identifies the following as components of infrastructure: landscape, playgrounds, buildings – classrooms, library, laboratory blocks, health blocks, toilets, hostels, administrative blocks and so on; utilities such as electricity, pipe-borne water and security facilities – walls (fences), gates, telephone and alarm system.From the above, infrastructure can be considered the basic systems and services that are necessary for an organization, for example, buildings, transport, water and power supplies and administrative systems. These are things that represent the aesthetic picture of the school conveyed by the position of structures in relation to one another. Goals of Technology Education The goals of technology education include: -understanding the principles and dynamics of technology; understanding the principles of tool construction, processes of technology and modes of dissemination; -developing intellectual processes of technology and their rela tion with other systems such as communication, economics, science, industry and society; -acquiring skills such as instrumentation production, maintenance, creativity, designing and communication; -mastering of technology-oriented forms of general and specific problem-solving; -producing technologically literate people; and -producing products that are employable and equally those who would proceed to higher education (Busari, 2004).It is important to appreciate the interpretation of these goals in the policies and practices of technology education in Nigeria. The policy guidelines set by the government for achieving the objectives are provision of basic tools for educational advancement including preparation for crafts of the locality, provision of curricular activities like teaching of science, local crafts, domestic science and agriculture, and provision of qualified teachers to handle technology education subjects. An Assessment of the Development Status of Nigeria In assessing the indices, criteria or factors responsible for the lassification of any country as being either developing or developed, it becomes imperative to understand the underlying key concepts: development, developing, under-developed, least developed, third world or fourth world and developed countries. Development can be regarded as the process of improving human welfare. Hence, the goals of development include: -balanced healthful diet; -adequate medical care; -labour opportunities commensurate with individual talents; -environmental sanitation and disease control; -sufficient educational opportunities; -reduced infant mortality; -decent housing; social and political participation promoting equality (United Nations, 2003). Developing countries are characterized by high rate debts, low level of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), low standard of living, low level of productivity and low level of health, low level of investment; high dependency on the agriculture production and high vulnerabil ity for external shocks. Least Developed Countries (LDC) generally suffer conditions of extreme poverty, ongoing and widespread conflict (including civil war or ethnic clashes), extensive political corruption and lack of political and social stability.The form of government in such countries is often authoritarian in nature, and may comprise dictatorship, warlordism or a kleptocrazy (United Nations, 2003). The Relevance of Infrastructure in the Provision of Viable Technology Education With the present scope of technology in Nigerian classrooms, there are few technical schools and few universities where technology education is made available. It is lamentably sad to observe that the available infrastructure in the available technical colleges and universities of technology is inadequate when compared with the expected functions of such institutions of learning.No doubt that infrastructure comprises things that are used directly or indirectly for the purposes of supporting, facilitati ng, influencing or encouraging transmission or acquisition of knowledge, competencies, skills and know-how. When we think of the poor state of this infrastructure, a question tends to come to mind – is the government actually interested in building this nation? This is just that there appears to be a gap between the policy statements and policy implementation.Lending credence to this is Busari (2004) who observes that institutions (technical colleges, universities, etc) where technology education is run are given little or lip support because they are viewed as any other education programme providers. The lackadaisical attitude of related agencies responsible for the functionalism of technology education is evidenced by the fact that the required infrastructure that would make technology education operational are either inadequate or non-existing. If technology education would facilitate national development, the quality of the manpower available for the performance of such t asks will dictate.As reported by Subair (2004), even the universities of technology experienced a face-lift just because of the accreditation exercise embarked upon by the National Universities Commission (NUC), a body established by the Federal Government in 1962 for the purpose of quality university education. He opines that experiences of the students are better expressed when adequate provision of required infrastructure is made with due consideration for some factors such as students’ population, student-teacher ratio, minimum studio stage per student, drawing boards per student, etc and student work experience practice in particular.The country is now faced with the stark realities of her poor technological base, which manifests in all fronts, ranging from poor economy, inability to properly maintain facilities inherited from colonial masters, to bad educational planning (Odeyemi, 1996). The incessant scarcity of petroleum products, epileptic supply of electricity, bad roads, flooding, and so on points to the fact that this country seriously needs to embrace and appreciate technology education. The resultant effects of Nigeria’s state of technological development are being felt in other sectors of our economy uch as the agricultural sector, industrial sector, building and construction, health and infrastructural sector – water, road, telecommunication and electricity. The bite is much felt due to lack of the necessary technical know-how to maintain the existing infrastructure and fabricate spare parts to maintain the heavy duty and medium size plants. Moreover, the frequent stealing and vandalization of Power Holding Company of Nigeria’s (PHCN) equipment for example is traceable to the inability to produce them locally. Obviously, there will be no market for the stolen ones if the country is able to produce in large quantities.As Oguntoye (2004) comments: There is no doubt that Nigeria has made tremendous leaps forward in educ ational development, especially with regard to quantitative expansion, are probably more than those we faced before the Ashby Commission of 1960. The physical structures may be available (they are in short supply). The problem is not that people are unwilling to send their kids to school, may not be the curriculum, may not even be quantity of trained personnel, but the critical problem is attitudinal, wrong value-orientation, wanting to cut corners, acquiring the certificates without acquiring knowledge, skills and competencies (pg. – 8). It becomes important to say here that if Nigeria as a nation is to be a developed and modern nation, it needs to be rational. A rational society is one which regards people as having the knowledge and ability to control their own destinies. Controlling one’s destiny without depending on other countries for one’s basic needs is self-reliance, a supposed target or goal of technology education.Consequently, the focus now should be acquisition of thorough knowledge, skills, competencies and know-how capable of transforming and encouraging people to develop openness to new experience, readiness to social change, placing higher value on technology education and aspiring to high levels of industrial attainment, understanding the logic underlying production and industry; placing high value on technical skill and accepting it as a basis for the distribution of rewards, and a basic trust in the calculating of the surrounding world, and that people and institutions can be relied upon to meet their obligations.Conclusion Attaining national development depends on three things that are considered most important. One is that education, particularly technology education which is the source of high levels of human capital accumulation, should be heavily invested in to generate the human resources Nigeria needs as the ‘engine’ for growth. There should be active government involvement or intervention that will encourage enormous investments in human capital, educating large skilled manpower able to absorb and adapt the most advanced technology.Secondly, Nigerians should know that modern societies are science and technology driven. There is no reason why we cannot set target year for achieving technology education for all. Such focus will make Nigerians think scientifically and technologically, the resultant effects of which will be change in our attitude and belief system, worthwhile social, economic, political and cultural lives, culminating into poverty alleviation, economic progress that will touch millions of Nigerians.Thirdly, irrespective of the level of education, the students are the core input into our educational institutions and the quality of the output (students) depends largely on the provision of infrastructures capable of directly or indirectly supporting, facilitating, influencing and encouraging the development of their potentials. Therefore, the knowledge, skills, compe tences and attitudes students acquire for life can make them fit into the cultural, social, economic and political contexts of the society in which they live, and to work and employment.It can all be summarily put that quality of education is reflected in the fit between, on the one hand, the expectations of society expressed in the general and specific objective of education, and on the other, the actual characteristics of the educational process (technology education) and the changes observed at the students’ level. References Adeogun, A. A. (2003). Economics of education. Lagos: Olatunji Publishing Press. Ajelabi, A. (2000). Essentials of educational technology. Lagos: Raytel Communications Ltd. Bannock, A. O. (1977).Modern technology and students’ instinct development. New York: McGreen Publishing Company. Bosah, H. O. N. (1997). Improving school plant provision and administration in Nigeria school. N. I. Ogbonnaya and C. L. Ajagbaonwu (Eds. ) Major concepts and is sues in educational administration. NAEP Publication. Ibadan: Awemark Industrial Printers. Busari, O. O. (2004). Towards a rethink of science and technology education in Nigeria. Ejiogu A. (ed. ) Nigerian education and challenges of the 21st century. Lagos: Faculty of Education, University of Lagos.Cambridge International Dictionary of English (1996). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 377. Collins English Dictionary (2005). Glasgow: Harper Collins Publishers, pp. 443, 449, 1675. Coombs, Y. (1991). What is planning? Paris: IIEP UNESCO. Ehiametalor, E. T. (2001). School facilities: Management practice in Nigeria. N. A. Nwaguru, E. T. Ehiametalor, and M. A. Ogunu, M. Nwadiani (Eds. ) Current issues in educational management in Nigeria. Benin City, Nigeria: Nigerian Association for Educational Administration and Planning. Ejiogu, A. (ed. ) (2004).Nigerian education and challenges of the 21st century. Lagos: Faculty of Education, University of Lagos. Madumere, S. C. (1997). Educ ational planning and manpower development. Lagos: Samuel Printing Press. Nwagwu, N. A. (1978). Primary school administration. Beverly Hills: Sage Publications. Odeyemi, O. (1996). Technology as a vehicle for qualitiative education in Nigeria. Technology education Today 6(1 & 2), pp. 49 – 52. Ogunranti, A. (1988). Educational technology and curriculum development. Ogunranti, A. (ed. ) Problems and prospects of educational technology in Nigeria.Ibadan: Heinemann. Oguntoye, A. O. O. (2004). Education for national development self reliance in a deregulated economy. A paper presented at the 1st national conference of the School of Technical Education, Federal College of Education (Technical), Akoka. Subair, S. O. (2007). Infrastructure, students’ welfare and students’ motivation to learn in universities. An unpublished post-field report paper presented at the departmental seminar of the Educational Administration Department, University of Lagos, Akoka. Ukeje, B. O. ( 1991).Educational technology in the new national system of education. In Ajelabi, A. (2005). Essentials of educational technology. Lagos: Raytel Communications, p. 18. United Nations (2001). Road map towards the implementation of the United Nations millennium declaration. Retrieved Sept. 17, 2008 from http://www. un. org. /millenniumgoal. United Nations Development Programme (2003). Human development report. New York: University Press for UNDP. United Nations (2005). Jakarta Declaration on Millennium Development Goals in Asia and the pacific: The way forward 2015, Jakarta, 5 August 2005.

Short essays on Harriet Jacobs and Fredrick Douglass

Short essays on Harriet Jacobs and Fredrick Douglass By Lee A. Zito1.Harriet Jacobs pulished under the psuedonym, Linda Brent. With pseudonyms she was able to protect herself, and the people within her book. If she had used her real name, it might have caused a huge controversy during the period in which she wrote. Jacobs had many anxieties on publishing her story. First of all her story was very personal, sharing your personal life with the masses can be very nerve wrecking. Second of all Jacobs was an ex-slave. She feared that this could influence readers, damaging her career as a writer, or even endanger her life.When It came to feminism, Jacobs was ahead of her time. During the nineteenth century, the unspoken feminine code included piety, purity, submissiveness and domesticity. To Jacobs, these were absolutely impossible to follow. She had her own ideas about true womanhood, to which fought against sexual harrasment, exploitation, and suppression.English: The four remaining towers of the Fredrick...2.Slave narratives recast the Am erican ideal of the "self-made man" to African Americans, because it is easier for both to relate to eachother. When you are reading something that you relate with, it is easier to understand where the author is coming from, because you too have been their before. For instance, Fredrick Douglass built onto and transformed the legacy of Benjamin Franklin, who's auidience was primarily white men like himself. Fredrick Douglass was able to take Franklin's virtuous feelings and ideas of humanity, but include the African American race as well.3. Harriet Jacobs and Fredrick Douglass both share a relationship within their stories. Both authors had to fight the same fight, in escaping from lives of slavery. Jacobs may have borrowed and modified some of Douglass' conventions in her story, she does this to include to women as well. Jacobs, having a double predjudice...

The requirement for employers to allow maternity leave under United Kingdom law is a disadvantage to women in the workplace. The WritePass Journal

The requirement for employers to allow maternity leave under United Kingdom law is a disadvantage to women in the workplace. Introduction The requirement for employers to allow maternity leave under United Kingdom law is a disadvantage to women in the workplace. ). As Samantha mangwana, an employment lawyer says many big organizations are part of this prevailing discrimination against pregnant women and frequently engage in out of court settlements. â€Å"I see the same major companies again and again and again, writing out these cheques – accompanied, of course, with a confidentiality clause†(McVeigh 2013). A more recent survey conducted by OnePoll on 1000 women who availed of maternity leave revealed that 30% of the women who rejoined felt that they did not fit in with their work environment anymore and that more than 40% felt that they had lack of support and only 3% of them sought legal assistance over maternity discrimination (McVeigh 2013). These surveys clearly point to the existing trend of maternity discrimination in the workplace. An early qualitative study by the ‘Equal Opportunities Commission’ reported that women on maternity leave were subjected to discrimination in various ways. Some women involved in this study reported that their employees withheld salary increases and bonuses simply because they were on maternity leave. Similarly, several women reported that their employers used the maternity leave period to create changes to their job including demoting them upon return. For instance one of the women in the study said, â€Å"I went from being a regional m anager to a store manager and had to take a  £5,000 pay cut. While I was on maternity leave they advertised â€Å"my† job and gave it to a man just as they had joked they would† (Davis et.al 2005). Evidence from these reports and surveys clearly project a worrisome picture of maternity discrimination and how availing authorized maternity leave could actually be a stumbling block for women in terms of their career prospects, promotions, pay increases and more seriously, how it could actually engender the risk of losing one’s job. A more exact picture of the prevailing scenario is the fact that since 2007 there have been more than 9000 pregnancy discrimination cases against employees across the UK. Speaking of the trend, Maria Miller, the minister for ‘Women and Equalities’, said, â€Å"It’s unacceptable that women suffer from discrimination when they become pregnant and yet many are saying that they are treated unfairly at work because of it† (DCMS, 2013). A new national research at the cost of  £1m has been commissioned to assess and to address the systemic problems that have resulted in the plight for women. It is expected that the findings from this research and further policy reforms would contribute to improving the situation for pregnant working women (DCMS 2013). However, already there is some good development from the legal policy perspective that would ease the situation for women. New Parental Leave (More Choice) Given the existing problems and the resultant gender bias in the labor market it is clear that providing maternity leave and benefits as social welfare scheme , though absolutely essential from the health perspective of the newborn and the mother, has only added to the woes of women in the job market. A new and potentially improved social care policy is the proposed ‘shared parental leave’ policy which is slated to come into effect from April 2015. Under this scheme newborn baby care could be easily shared between the father and the mother. This new policy permits fathers to take paternal leave just as mothers could up to 50 weeks and also permits them to take the leave in a discontinued pattern so that mothers and fathers can alternate in caring for the newborn baby while at the same time balance their work and family. This provides an opportunity for women who want to return to work a little early not to be overly concerned or stressed out about the baby care as the fa ther could equally share the care of the newborn. Conclusion Maternity leave and maternity benefits are indispensable provisions from a pure social care perspective. These policies are in place to provide support to working women and to improve the health standards of the child and the mother. However, employers who are under pressures of poor economy are often discriminatory against pregnant women as the cost of maternity payments and the long leave of absence from work are considered to be unnecessary and avoidable costs to the company. This has resulted in women availing maternal leave to be left redundant and replaced by others. Those who return back to work are also forced to compromise their work status and compensation resulting in poor career prospects for the woman. Though maternity benefits are government policies and legal recourse is an option against maternity discrimination, barely a small percentage of affected women take that route to justice. The government has however instigated more research and has also come up with a novel and well balanced solution to the problem with the introduction of the draft for the ‘shared parental leave’. This new provision is certainly a positive step in not only balancing the gender divide but also in avoiding discrimination against women at the workplace as it provides more options for the parents to balance their time between work and baby care. References Davis S, Neathey F, Regan J Willison R; 2005. Pregnancy discrimination at work: A qualitative study, Pregnant Productive. Working Paper Series no 23. Pub by The Institute for Employment Studies. [Online] Available at maternityaction.org.uk/wp/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/eocpregnancydiscrimqualitativestudy.pdf [Accessed March 25th 2014] DCMS; 2013.  £1 million to help tackle pregnancy discrimination at the workplace, [online] Available https://www.gov.uk/government/news/1m-million-to-help-tackle-pregnancy-discrimination-in-the-workplace [Accessed March 25th 2014] McVeigh T; 2013. One in seven women are made redundant after maternity leave, [online] Available at theguardian.com/law/2013/mar/09/women-on-maternity-leave-illegal-discrimation [Accessed March 25th 2014] ONS; 2011.   2011 Census: Population Estimates for the United Kingdom, [Online] Available at ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/census/2011-census/population-and-household-estimates-for-the-united-kingdom/stb-2011-censuspopulation-estimates-for-the-united-kingdom.html [Accessed March 25th 2014] The Telegraph; 2014. New Parental leave: What’s on offer for mums and dads? [Online] Available at telegraph.co.uk/women/mother-tongue/10482940/New-parental-leave-Whats-on-offer-for-mums-and-dads.html [Accessed March 25th 2014] Ward R; 2011. Health and equality impacts of well-paid parental leave, Pub by WHEC and MA. [Online] Available at whec.org.uk/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/downloads/2011/10/HealthandEqualityImpactsofWellPaidParentalLeave20111.pdf [Accessed March 25th 2014] Working Families; 2009. Report of Working families helpline and Alliance against pregnancy discrimination in the workplace. Pregnant women and new mums at risk of redundancy. [Online] Available at fawcettsociety.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/PRENANCY-DISCRIMINATION-2.pdf [Accessed March 25th 2014]