Thursday, November 28, 2019

Cognitive Behavioral and an Existential / Humanistic Perspective

Introduction Cognitive approach entails seeking knowledge on a specific subject in order to gain understanding. The approach involves dispelling ignorance and embracing factual information on the subject of study. According to Edwards (1990) after an individual gains understanding on his subject he or she becomes enlightened. Most approaches to therapy incorporate the concept of cognitive transformation either explicitly or implicitly.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Cognitive Behavioral and an Existential / Humanistic Perspective specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Cognitive approach is used to foster the way the clients or patients come up with new perspective of their problems. The humanistic approach in behavior therapy focuses mainly on the desire to comprehend conscious experience and the desire to understand one’s self. However, this theory is difficult to study since measuring the core elements of the theory such as self-actualization is hard (Cain and Seaman, 2002). Cognitive Behavioral Approach Cognitive- behavioral therapy operates on the assumption that people enjoy freedom, contentment and self-respect. However, these qualities are not inherent in a person but they arise from the external prevailing conditions of an individual. Therefore, from this we can derive that maladaptive behavior occurs due to irrational thinking or distortion in the manner of an individual perceives his or her environment. With this in mind, it is possible to analyze the study at hand. Sophie lives with her mum but she is unhappy they do not get along. Her unhappiness stems from the fact that she blames her mother for her father leaving. This presents the first instance of distorted perception of the surrounding. Moreover, her thoughts that her mother is the major cause of her father leaving are irrational. These irrational thought have led to maladaptive behaviors. Sophie shows a general sense of despair. Moreover, she has eating disorders and she is involved in extreme gym activities. Sophie is significantly underweight. Sophie’s case is a classic case of an individual whose character has been distorted by the external prevailing conditions. Her manner of thinking is distorted to conform to the feeling that she derives from the external environment. In cognitive behavioral therapy, the therapists try to conceptualize the general behaviors exhibited by the patient. From the general behaviors, the therapist can derive the distortion in character, symptoms, and disorders out of the norm. The norm character is the habitual character that a patient exhibits when he or she is free and contented with one’s life (Ivey et al., 2007).Advertising Looking for essay on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More To discover the norm behavior of patient, therapists analyzes the patient’s general characteristic to uncover the underlying rules and values of a patient that makes them susceptible to depression anger or anxiety. In the case of Sophie, the therapist has to analyze her character to gain knowledge on what her normal character is and what rules and values distorts her character. From the explanation given from the case study, it is evident that the matter that distorts Sophie’s character is the fact that her father left and she blames her mother. The rules that and values that makes the predisposed to depression include wanting to be like everyone else, she wants her life to be perfect, and moreover, she wants the approval of others to feel complete/ gain self-confidence. Sophie feels that she is not like everyone else since her dad left. She feels that the world is judging her. Therefore, she has this inherent need to be perfect. She refuses to eat and overindulges in gym activities to satisfy her need to be perfect. From her behavior, it is clear that Sophie wants her fam ily to be completely again. Sophie’s cognitive schemata are aligned to beliefs rather than reality. In this case, it is important to recognize that Sophie has her own idiosyncratic values. Therapists are allowed to speculate on the conditions of the patient to a given extend. However, in order to administer treatment to Sophie, she must undertake a series of questioning session to determine her assumptions. In addition to this, Sophie’s automatic thoughts must be analyzed to come up with a comprehensive means of treat her condition. Automatic thoughts are those thoughts that an individual generates consciously and spontaneously. These thoughts are generally associated with negative effects to the individual. The thoughts can be categorized into according to their typical bias. For example assuming what someone else’s thoughts can be categorized as mind reading by therapists. In this situation, one creates a negative thought before the other person actually has t hought. For example, â€Å"that person is not going to like me† is an automatic thought.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Cognitive Behavioral and an Existential / Humanistic Perspective specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The best way to describe an automatic thought is to view it as a bias that one expresses towards another. In Sophie’s case the automatic thought that has developed in her mind is that her mother is the one to blame for her father’s departure. Using cognitive theory it is possible to establish a relationship among a patient’s schema, automatic thought, and assumption. For example, Sophie feels that she is unloved. Therefore, she assumes that if she impresses people they might end up liking her. She goes ahead and gets involved in activities that she thinks will make people like her like gym workouts. The automatic thought in this case maybe that people would not like her because of her situation. Establishing a relation between the schema, automatic thought and assumption makes it easier to reach the core of a problem. It is one of the core methods employed to solve a problem psychological problem. Using cognitive approach to assist Sophie In order to assist Sophie using the cognitive approach all the elements that play part in building her character. The first step into assisting the patient would involve articulation of the patient’s personal opinion. After this step, therapists may use various methods to solve the situation at hand. As a therapist, the major task would be to make sure that the patient experiences all the possible experiments so that they can integrate into the system without denial or selection. Beck and Emery (1985) came up with basic cognitive-behavior therapy principles designed to support the process of exposing the patient to different experiments. There are three basic principles: guided discovery, collaborative emp iricism and Socratic questioning. Under collaborative empiricism, the patient and the therapists work together as a team. In this method the therapist does not take driving seat in the therapy sessions instead they facilitate the patients healing by making them aware of the reality through testing the testing the reality against the experience of the patient.Advertising Looking for essay on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In the case of Sophie, she can be exposed to several experiments in order to show her the difference between reality and her personal experience. Sophie can be exposed to other kids who have single parents to show her that she is not alone in the. As she interacts with the different people in similar or different conditions.Sophie will be able to differentiate her personal experience and that in the real world. Another way of assisting the patient would be through use of Socratic questioning. Therapist use Socratic questioning to sow a seed of doubt in the patient’s mind. This principle is designed to bring the patient’s attention to information of other experiences in a non-selective way. The therapists also have the task of confronting the patients with absurdities or cognitive avoidances. The use of this method on Sophie is also a possible means of helping the patient to face her problems. By a sowing a seed o doubt in the mind of the 17 year old it is possible to m ake her change her mind.. A good seed of doubt would be a question like: what if it is not your mother’s fault that your dad left? This question would set the seed of doubt in the mind of Sophie. She would start to ask herself other questions that will finally enable her reach the solutions to her problems. Cognitive therapy has always been equated with verbal and the process of logical thinking (Ivey et al., 2007). Cognitive therapy therefore understands the process of change in an individual behavior is a series of steps that moves the patient from one-step to another. Therapists therefore use various steps that would finally lead to the final step where the patient is cured. The first step in cognitive behavior therapy is allowing the patient to accept that he or she has a problem. This step is followed by a step designed to help the patient to identify his or her problems. This stage is recognized as the functional patient analysis. The importance of this step is to ensur e that the patient recognizes how the thoughts and feelings lead to maladaptive character. The steps in cognitive behavior present a trip to self-discovery that allows the patient to sieve the facts from the fiction/ assumption. The second stage of cognitive behavior therapy is aimed at analyzing the exhibited behaviors. A patient usually exhibits behaviors that contribute to the problem. In this stage, the patient is taught how to adopt new behaviors. It should however be noted that the processes involved in cognitive behavior therapy are gradual and change is not expected to be viewed immediately. Taking the procedure above it is easy to incorporate it into the case study in order assist Sophie. The first step would be to let he girl understand that she has a problem. However, in this case the step can be skipped since she initiated counseling on her own. Therefore, the next step would be the functional analysis. This stage would assist Sophie to understand her problems such as ea ting disorders and excessive gym workouts. The important fact about this step is that it will provide the Sophie with the opportunity to connect the feelings she has against her family set up and the behaviors she exhibits. After making this connection, the next step would be to analyze the behaviors that Sophie exhibits. Having known the reason for these behaviors, this step would involve taking a look at the behaviors individually and determining whether they are desirable or not. The therapist can do this by asking Socratic questions. A good example of a question in Sophie’s case would be: do you think you are being fair to your mum by laying all the blame of your dad leaving on her? These questions are usually designed to sow a seed of doubt and create a chain of reaction that would finally lead to the patient unraveling the truth. This process starts with a question but for it to come to fruition the patient must exorcise her demons. After finally confronting the problem , it becomes easier for the patient deal with the problem or let go of it. Humanistic perspective approach The humanistic approach in behavior therapy focuses mainly on the desire to comprehend conscious experience and the desire to understand one’s self. However, this theory is difficult to study since measuring the core elements of the theory such as self-actualization is hard (Cain and Seaman, 2002). The theory of existential-Humanistic perspective was created as a reaction against the cognitive behavior approach and psychoanalysis. Humanistic psychology focuses on the potential of each patient to grow and attain self-actualization. Therapists practicing using the humanistic approach assume that the humans are innately good and therefore a change in character occurs due to a change in their normal routine. Carl Rodgers coined the humanistic approach in the 20th century (Sammons, n.d.). He believed that people might fulfill their potential if they had a positive regard towa rds other people (Sammons, n.d.). Rodgers however realized that people do not see the positive regards of their fellow beings as unconditional. Rodgers laid this ground for humanistic therapy approach and the concept was advanced further by therapists. Currently therapists using the humanistic approach prefer using qualitative methods that Rodgers proposed. To be able to reach the patient the therapists use unstructured interviewing in order access the patients views ideas and opinions. In case the therapists use observation then the patient’s observations are the ones that are considered. The therapist on the other hand has to observe the patient in order to determine how he or she perceives his or her surroundings. The methods mentioned above can be used to analyze the case study. The therapist can use unstructured interviewing to determine the views and opinion that Sophie has regarding her surroundings. Opinions on why she blames her mother, why she thinks she has eating disorders and the reason she involves in excessive gym behavior should be considered in order to assist Sophie in dealing with her problems. A humanistic approach would assist Sophie to accept that her condition is normal and therefore she has to deal with it before she can actually attain her purpose in life. Therapists in who use the humanistic approach begin with the assumption that every individual has his or her own way of perceiving and understanding his surrounding and the world at large. The questions asked by therapists using the existential-humanistic approach are different from those that the cognitive behavior therapists use. Humanistic approach aims at understanding the subjectivity of the people (Cain and Seaman, 2002). In addition to this, they reject objective scientific approach. Endorsed in the humanistic approach is the idea that people operate on a free will and are capable of making their own decisions although the process may be unconscious. Humanistic approach also takes into account that people aim at self-actualization. Existential-Humanistic interpretation of behavior is centered on an individual (Cain and Seaman, 2002). Therapists using this approach try to find out if the patient is aware or conscious of his identity. Existential-humanistic approach concentrates on the unique characters that define every individual. It places emphasis on the individual choices, responsibility and personal freedom. It therefore considers each individual as the driver of his or her life. Using the concepts of existential- humanistic theory, it is possible to analyze the case study of Sophie. From a humanistic point of view Sophie aims at self-actualization is the reason behind her excessive gym workouts. The disorders in eating are due to the fact that there is a factor that prevents her from attaining her goal of actualization. The problems that Sophie faces in her life are limiting her freedom to progress and thus act a barrier to her ultimate goal. Humanistic approach proposes six basic dimensions of human condition. These dimensions include creating self-awareness, having conflicting thoughts between freedom and responsibility, creating a personal identity by establishing relations, a search for purpose of life, acceptance of anxiety as a norm in life and being aware of death. Using these dimensions therapist can understand the patient’s conditions. Usually he approach to understanding a patient begins with the assumption that we are usually exposed to a meaningless world and each of us has to find his or her own bearing. The process of finding direction involves undergoing through the six dimensions proposed earlier. The key elements in Existential-humanistic approach are acceptance and growth. Therefore, for a case like Sophie’s she must be made to accept her situation and move on with her life. The therapist has to ensure that he or she tries to address the underlying factors that affect the client. The huma nistic approach is dependent on the empathy of the therapist. Using the Existential- Humanistic Approach to assist Sophie In this method, the therapist would allow the patient to be subjective rather than objective. This approach would allow Sophie to make her judgment of her situation based on her personal feelings and impressions. Existential approach would have Sophie understand that she is free to choose between suffering and attaining happiness. The purpose of the humanistic perspective is to encourage Sophie to look into her life and choose between the various alternatives available. Using this approach entails making Sophie to passively accept the prevailing circumstances in her life and take control of her life. This would assist her in shaping her future experiences by exploring other options that would enable her to create a meaningful existence. Generally, the therapy major purpose is to invite the patient to acknowledge how they have allowed the influence from the surrou nding environment to control their life. In Sophie’s case, the therapist aim will be to show her that the fact that her father left does not mean she should be affected as well. Instead, she should consider this as an obstacle in her path to becoming fully independent. Appropriate Therapy for Sophie Both the methods are viable to address Sophie’s. However, the most suitable method to solve her problem would be the use of cognitive behavioral approach. The reason for choosing this method is that the method addresses the core problems that face Sophie. The cognitive method is highly objective and aims to address the problems that the client is facing. The cognitive behavior therapy is more instructive and shows the client the best method to use to reach her goal. Therefore, in cognitive therapy the patient learns self-counseling skills that can be used later. The therapy is also short term in that it does not last for a long time but serves the therapeutic purpose. The t herapy emphasizes on the idea of getting well rather than the idea of feeling better about self-actualization. On the other hand, the humanistic approach addresses the general idea of how Sophie would overcome her problems to attain self-actualizations (Neimeyer and Raskin, 2000). Humanistic approach lacks general objectivity. Therefore, the method is vague and is not supported by any scientific evidence. Moreover, humanistic approach employs the cognitive, psychodynamic, or behavioral approach to accomplish its goals. Majority of the existentialist therapists adopt the use of anxiety as the major cause of maladaptive behaviors and use this concept to administer therapy to the patient. The position of taken by the humanistic therapists about free will is incoherent. This is because they advance two conflicting theories at the same time. The humanistic approach insist that people have the ability to make a choice on their actions at the same time they explain how behavior is influenc ed by the treatment we experience at the hands of other people. These two ideas are highly conflicting leading to the incoherency in the approach. Conclusion Cognitive approach entails seeking knowledge on a specific subject in order to gain understanding. The approach involves dispelling ignorance and embracing factual information on the subject of study. Cognitive- behavioral therapy operates on the assumption that people enjoy freedom, contentment and self-respect. However, these qualities are not inherent in a person but they arise from the external prevailing conditions of an individual. In cognitive behavioral therapy, the therapists try to conceptualize the general behaviors exhibited by the patient. From the general behaviors, the therapist can derive the distortion in character, symptoms, and disorders out of the norm. The norm character is the habitual character that a patient exhibits when he or she is free and contented with one’s life. The humanistic approach in behavior therapy focuses mainly on the desire to comprehend conscious experience and the desire to understand one’s self. Therapists in who use the humanistic approach begin with the assumption that every individual has his or her own way of perceiving and understanding his surrounding and the world at large. Currently therapists using the humanistic approach prefer using qualitative methods that Rodgers proposed. To be able to reach the patient the therapists use unstructured interviewing in order access the patients views ideas and opinions. In case the therapists use observation then the patient’s observations are the ones that are considered. The key elements in Existential-humanistic approach are acceptance and growth. Therapists in who use the humanistic approach begin with the assumption that every individual has his or her own way of perceiving and understanding his surrounding and the world at large. These therapy methods have been use in various counseling se ssions. However, in the case study presented the use of cognitive behavioral approach is recommended since it addresses the problem of the subject comprehensively. Humanistic approach in this case is irrelevant since it does not address the problem instead it tries to make the patient deal with the problem. References Beck, T. and Emery, G. (1985). Anxiety Disorders and Phobias: A Cognitive Perspective. New York: Guilford. Cain, D. J. and Seaman, J. (2002). Humanistic Psychotherapies: Handbook of Research and Practice. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association Press Edwards, D. (1990). Phenomenological Approaches to Therapy: Complementary or Conflicting Paradigms. New York: Springer Publishing. Ivey, A., D’Andrea, M., Ivey B., and Simek-Morgan L. (2007). Theories of Counseling and Psychotherapy: A Multicultural Perspective. Saddle River: Pearson Neimeyer, R. A. and Raskin, J. R. (2000). Constructions of Disorder: Meaning Making Frameworks for Psychotherapy. Washingto n, DC:AmericanPsychological Association Press. Sammons, A. (n.d). The Humanistic Approach: the basics. Humanistic Psychology, Retrieved from www.psychlotron.org.uk This essay on Cognitive Behavioral and an Existential / Humanistic Perspective was written and submitted by user Puff Adder to help you with your own studies. 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Sunday, November 24, 2019

Shall we Dance essays

Shall we Dance essays Shall we Dansu, directed and written by Masayuki Suo, has a subtle artistic appeal to any viewer. The film hints at an even greater dilemma in life that relates to the audience. When we have it all, the car, the house, 2.5 children will it be enough? Mr. Sugiyama is a forty-something who goes to sit at a desk and work in an office building and then goes home to his wife and daughter. As he commutes home the train stops at a station and when he looks up, Sugiyama sees a lovely young woman looking out the window of a dance school. Every time the train stops at that station, there she is. So one day he gets off the train and goes up to the dance studio where he signs up for lessons. In this movie the visual symbols convey more or just as much as the actual conversations held between characters. The lighting and the body language are the two most effective visual symbols used to bring the viewer into the plot. At the start of the movie everything is dull and dark nothing is bright with the exception of the street signs. This cold gray overcast lets it be known that Mr. Sugiyama is depressed and unhappy with his life. Almost every scene before he starts his dance lessons contain very calming colors such as whites, blacks, blues, grays. You feel the unhappiness and despair. Then on the train he looks up and sees this dance studio glowing with warm light. This is the answer to his depression. Once he starts the lessons every time he is at the studio warm colors are present. The colors help to communicate emotion. Hot or warm colors express excitement, intensity, urgency, passion, heat, love, excitement, and strength. All of which Mr. Sugiyama feels when he dances. Cool colors express dignity, power, melancholy, heaviness, trust, reliability, sophistication, death, rebellion, and emptiness. All of which he feels before he starts dance lessons. Mia Kishikawa is the object of his affection, but we soon learn that she has her own proble...

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Review of a live jazz performance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Review of a live jazz performance - Essay Example Three shows that put the event on the going emerged as predominantly remarkable. The jazz-laden cookers spearheaded the event, Jonathan Batiste together with his band, as well as the Trio of Aaron Parks. Opening the event in Cape May on the stage were the Cookers. The Cookers presented themselves in a return act with a lot of strength in every position they stood (Ephland). At the forefront of the four performers, there was Billy Harper handling the saxophone of tenor, Donald Harrison handling the alto saxophone, the founder of the group David Weiss, and Eddie Henderson with the trumpet. They were supported by the naturally powerful section of rhythm of McBee Cecil on bass, George Cables on the piano and Billy Hart on the drums. In the combined sounds, there were many voices, although Hart particularly was very surprising, and brought menace. Hart was everywhere in his set, very effervescent and flamboyant than this assessor has ever seen in the many years of his presence in the indu stry (Ephland). Arrays of tunes were played, several of them as an ensemble in voicings that were out-styled. From the look of things and how everything was happening, some of the voicings required deep listening. You could see the horns moving from the front of the stage towards the wings; the soloing persons were as well involved in the performance. They went on playing a little of tunes from their recent CD known as â€Å"Time And Time Again†. The tunes included very interesting charts that held two-chord frames; with a melody that was dirge-like that slow-cooked in explosive singles from Harper, Cables and Weiss. "Croquet Ballet," by Harper was a slow cooker, along with driving singles from Cables and Harrison. Cables verse to Mulgrew Miller, known as "Farewell Mulgrew," got played in tribute to a good talent and friend. With blazing singles that came from Harper and

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Judaism Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Judaism - Research Paper Example Even though evidence cannot be provided for the existence of the one or may Supreme beings, there is evidence for the power of religion. There are numerous religions across the globe. However, the most distinct one are Islam, Judaism, Christianity, Buddhism, and Hinduism. These religions have symbols, narratives, and sacred histories whose purpose is to explain the meaning and origin of life. In the same way, from their beliefs about human nature, the people may derive ethics, morality, and religious laws. The religions have the clergy, organised behaviours, Holy Scriptures, holy places, and a definition of what makes up adherence. The practice of religion may also include things like commemoration, feats, festivals, prayer, sacrifices, sermons, and rituals. Besides that, they also have myths, funerary services, and other aspects of the human culture. Drawing on a variety of sources, the paper will address Judaism history and the present practice. It has been evidenced that Judaism is among the oldest religions on earth that exist until today. Its history, traditions, and beliefs are recorded in the Hebrew Bible. Judaism is a religious tradition that dates back to about 4,000 years ago, and is rooted in the eastern region of Canaan. Canaan is the biblical name of the region between River Jordan and the Mediterranean. This is the equivalent of the current Palestinian and Israel territories (Shahak, 1994). This was during the Bronze Age in the Middle East. Even though the Jewish calendar dates back to more than five thousand years ago, various scholars argue that the commencement of the Judaism faith is linked to the Israelites and their forefather Abraham. This is estimated to be around 164 B.C.E. The beliefs and practices of the classical Judaism did not emerge until the 1st century (Schachter-Shalomi & Segel, 2013). In this regard, Judaism

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Critical Appraisal of Business Planning Process Essay

Critical Appraisal of Business Planning Process - Essay Example In most cases, the entrepreneur himself will not be capable of raising the required capital for the business. Sometime, even when the initial capital is brought in by the owner, further expansion or the need for additional working capital requirements will force him/her to approach a venture capitalist or financial institution. In any of these cases, the clarity of the business plan is what convinces the concerned institution for granting finance. A good business plan should be prepared based on an outside-in approach. An entrepreneur should have a good understanding of the external environment in which the business will operate. A vision and mission for the business forms the two main components of the business plan. Vision is the ultimate goal that the business wants to achieve and mission statement states in brief about how the vision will be achieved by the business. Thus a well charted out business plan is an inevitable component for a successful business venture. The following section will give a critical analysis of the various steps of the business planning process. ... Identification of a problem that exists in the market is the first step that an entrepreneur should take. â€Å"If you keep up with your industry, talk to customers, study what is not working in your business, you should have a ton of problems you would like to solve.† (Starak, 2006) Identification of problem will lead to finding of various alternative solutions for the problem. All ideas should be screened well and the entrepreneur should select the one best solution that becomes the real business idea. Thus it can be said that the first thought that should come into the minds of an aspiring entrepreneur is a market problem. Strategic Objectives: Strategic objectives refer to the core business objectives of the venture. It mainly consists of the vision and mission of a business. Apart from that, it also consists of the other objectives of the business. Formulating good strategic decisions are extremely important for the success of a business. Most of these objectives are long term in nature. Therefore, an entrepreneur should have good foresight in order to formulate clear business objectives. Also, the entrepreneur should have a good understanding of the market and environment situation in order to make the objectives clear, focused, realistic and achievable. The objectives are the motive behind a business success. The various strategies that the business should take will depend mainly on the business objectives. Clear objectives imply that half the work of an entrepreneur is complete. He/she just have to manage the business to make sure that it is operating as per the objectives. Market Analysis and Research: It was mentioned that an understanding of the market is very much essential for idea generation

Friday, November 15, 2019

Need For Structural Transformation Through Ebusiness Business Essay

Need For Structural Transformation Through Ebusiness Business Essay There are various theories on the subject which enrich our modern days understanding of the subject and make us appreciate how and why organisations strategise their decisions. How does Coca Cola know that its strength lie in adding various lines of beverages such as energy drinks, sports drinks, health drinks when others are just making aerated drinks? Or how does Estee Lauder through its various marketing brands cater to different segments the original Estee Lauder for older women, Clinique for middle aged women, M.A.C. for youthful hipsters, Aveda to aromatherapy enthusiasts and Origins for eco conscious consumers. Michael Porters acclaimed Five Forces of Competitive Position model explains a simple perspective for evaluating and analysing the competitive strength and position of a corporation or business organisation. Let us understand each force and its implication for the Strategic Planners in the Case of FedEx Industry Competitors This refers to the existing players in an industry unless and until there is a first mover advantage. But sooner or later, other firms enter and pose a direct threat to ones profits. In the case of FedEx, UPS was a competitor though till 1982 UPS was not directly competing in the overnight delivery segment. And so the rule of the game have to be maneuvered keeping in mind what other firms are doing in the industry. Potential Entrants The threat of a new firm entering into the industry is more when its easier relatively for an organisation to enter the industry in other words, entry barriers are low. An organisation planning to enter the industry will contemplate various decisions such as the loyalty of customers to existing products, how soon the economies of scale can be achieved, do they have access to suppliers, and would they face government legislation, discouraging them or promote them in any manner to enter the industry. FedEx had a lot of first mover advantages. It was the first company to give the drivers hand held scanners for sending alerts to customers for each pick up and delivery. In 1994, it became the first big transport company to launch a website that included tracking and tracing capabilities, but by 2000 when DHL, TNT and UPS were fierce competitors., these advantages were lost as customers took all these facilities as granted and did not see any incremental value. Thus as more firms enter the market, the dynamics change and this calls for a continuous innovation stream and realignment of corporate strategy which has become the hallmark of FedEx over the years. By integrating its services and managing the supply-chain of its customers, it generated customer loyalty and increased the customer switching costs. Thus FedEx managed to effectively introduce the barriers to entry for competitors. Threats of substitute products or services The availability of products services outside the common product boundaries raises the likelihood of customers to switch to alternatives. Are there alternative products that clients can buy over your product that provides the same benefits at a lesser price? In the case of FedEx, this threat was low at the time it entered the market. There was no other way to make time sensitive documents reach overnight in a reliable fashion. Bargaining power of buyers The bargaining power of clients is also expressed as the market of outputs: the ability of customers to put the firm under pressure, which also governs the customers sensitivity to price changes. Strategic Planners at FedEx realised this from the beginning. The underlying philosophy at FedEx was that whenever businesses grow, there is always move of physical goods. This shows that the management team at FedEx took cognisance of customer sensitivity and their power. It always laid emphasis on speed and reliance in moving time sensitive documents. Bargaining power of suppliers Suppliers are critical for the success of a firm. Raw materials are required to complete the finished product of the organisation. Suppliers have immense power. This power comes from: If they are the main supplier or one of the rare suppliers who supply that particular raw material. If it is relatively costlier for the company to move from one supplier to another (known also as switching cost) If there are no other substitutes for their product. FedEx made judicious decisions in selecting their technology partners. Whether it was tying up with COSMOS or making a deal with Netscape in 1999, it leveraged its IT partners to the fullest. Value chain is described by Dagmar Recklies in the following words: Value chain analysis described by Porter refers to the activities within and around a company, and links them to an analysis of the competitive strength of an organization. It thus assesses which value each particular activity brings to the organizations products or services. D.K. Likhi in the article Motives of Strategic Alliances formation: Value Chain perspective states the following:   Porter says that the capability to perform particular activities and to manage the linkages between these activities is a source of competitive advantage. In his well-known book Competitive Advantage: Creating and Sustaining superior Performance (1985) Porter distinguishes between primary activities and support activities. Primary activities are straightforwardly linked with the creation or delivery of a product or service. They can be assembled into five main parts namely inbound logistics, operations, outbound logistics, marketing and sales, and service. Each of these primary activities is joined to sustain activities which help to improve their competence or efficacy. There are four major areas of support activities: procurement, technology development (including RD), human resource management, and infrastructure (systems for planning, finance, quality, information management etc.).   The basic model of Porters Value Chain is presented here- Moreover, the term à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¡Margin denotes that organisations realise a profit margin that depends on their aptitude to handle the linkages between all activities in the value chain. In the case of FedEx Strategic Planners at FedEx have been able to leverage both its primary and secondary activities and ensured that they reap high margins. Its focus on Technology Development proved that even a secondary activity can become critical in defining success. FedExs success lay in its pro-activeness. It realised that mere express delivery will not take it far; in order to revolutionise the globe, it will have to focus on total logistics and supply chain solution. Core Competencies and Capabilities at FedEx A core competency is a unique factor that a business considers as being central to the way it, or its employees, works. It fulfills three key criteria: It provides consumer benefits It is not easy for competitors to imitate It can be leveraged widely too many products and markets. When we analyse the case, it becomes evident that FedEx had various core competencies and capabilities. Firstly, it is the underlining philosophy and the vision of the management at FedEx. Innovation and Pro-activeness is a culture in itself; either the organisation has it or it does not. When others in the industry were competing on prices, FedEx was thinking how to integrate seamlessly with its customers and provide value. It was thinking of emerging into a global logistics and supply chain company while others in the industry were complacent being express delivery firms. In 1974, FedEx opened a small warehouse for Parts Bank and thus embarked on the journey of logistic management. Fred Smith, Chairman of FedEx Corporation was a visionary; he realised that overnight delivery of time sensitive documents was a brilliant business idea. He mastered that speed and reliance were crucial in this business for clients. In the nascent years when other players were buying space on commercial airlines, FedEx acquired its own transportation fleet. Such a vision was instrumental in saving huge costs to the company in the latter years. Secondly, the use of breakthrough technology and internet acted as another core competence. In 1980s, FedEx became the first company to give its drivers hand held scanners that were used to send alerts to customers every time a packet was picked up or delivered. It became the first big transport company to have a website with tracking and tracing facilities in 1994. It had started putting customers catalogues on the website. Thus FedEx had started redefining sources and procurement strategies for its clients who were very happy with these value added services, they had in a way outsourced their entire supply chain management to FedEx. Thirdly, leveraging relationships as a strategy acted as yet another major competency for FedEx. It started using COSMOS tracking network in 1979 and provided tracing and tracking services with the advent of internet. In 1999, it made a deal with Netscape to offer a suite of delivery services at its netcenter portal. This meant automatic integration of Netscape FedEx by means of which FedEx gained an added access to 13 million members who were there on the portal. As we see FedEx leveraged both, backward integration with its IT Technology partners on one hand and forward integration with many of its clients like Dell Cisco on the other. Thus as of January 2000, FedEx became the worlds largest overnight package carrier with about 30 percent market share. Main Advantages Disadvantages of international trade to FedEx Corporation FedEx gained tremendously from International trade. Its tie up with Dell, Cisco, NatSemi and Netscape vouch for the fact that such backward and forward integrations would not have been possible if it had not ventured out of its home market. The management also exploited the use of internet and e-commerce to the best of its advantage. It started tying up with companies worldwide and managed its customers effectively. FedEx was able to service as an extended, fully outsourced logistics supply chain division of global companies. It introduced various e-Business Tools for faster connections with FedEx shipping and tracking applications. As early as in 1974, it started logistics operations with Parts Bank and built up a small warehouse at Memphis. Thus when others were just competing on prices and speed, FedEx was already way ahead with its first value added service way beyond transportation. However when one goes international, there are disadvantages as well. FedEx increased its scope of work and base, spreading itself too thin. Multiple brands worldwide became difficult to manage. Costs started multiplying as each sub business had its own accounting, sales and marketing costs. While the likes of UPS had the advantage of promoting just one brand UPS to sell the company and its many service offerings, FedEx was trying to promote five different sub-companies with completely unrelated names business logos under the FDX banner with separate sales and customer service teams. However a re-alignment and re-branding strategy was timely planned and international trades advantages far out weighed its disadvantages and costs. Section II Classical Evolutionary School of Thought the case of FedEx Strategy Theory is such a vast, multi-dimensional and multi-disciplinary academic field with competing schools of thought with each one taking a different view as to what strategy is aiming to achieve that it becomes almost impossible to compare any two schools. Let us look at some of the schools of thought in the domain of strategy and see the relevance of the same in the case of FedEx. The classical view of strategy is supported on the military parlance, in which the world is a fixed hierarchy with a solitary general who makes decisions. The concept has a long history in the military and if we see etymologically, strategy literally means what the generals do. However problem exists when some theorists take this too literally and try to replicate this in the business domain as it is. The military model is supported by an intellectual inheritance from economics. Many economists placed this singular figure right at the heart of their ideation of strategy as an highly structured game of move and counter-move, bluff and counter-bluff, between competing yet interdependent businesses. This view of individuals in association with Smiths view that each individual is continual wielding himself to find out the most profitable employment of whatever capital he can command, creates a stereotype of the manager who is focused on maximising return on investment. Classical strategy places immense assurance in the readiness and capacity of managers to adopt profit maximising strategies through rational long-term planning. Such cases are a rarity as businesses do not comprise of ideal economic man. managers not only fall short to set output at the theoretically profit-maximising level where marginal costs precisely equal marginal revenue, but most managers have no clue what their marginal costs and marginal revenue curves are! Economists attuned to this business stupidity by letting the markets do the thinking. With this view of the world, markets not managers opt the prevailing strategies within a particular environment. For those strategists who stick to the evolutionary view of competition, survivors may emerge to be those who have adapted themselves to the environment. Competition is the mainly useful form of weeding out inefficiency or lack of adaptation, hence simple access into markets is the way to ensure healthy industries. Application of the Schools in the case of FedEx In the case of FedEx, we see an amalgamation of both the schools happening. When the firm has a first mover advantage, at times it is possible to relate its thinking, and actions with the Classical School Of Thought. From 1973 onwards, Fred Smith, Chairman of the group steered the company through breakthrough technical advances and innovative practices. It is similar to the Classical Ideology of maximising profits and shaping the industry, so to speak. It was Freds vision that enabled the organization to transform itself from an express delivery company to a global logistics supply chain company. He took the right decisions at the right time most of which were instrumental in making it the market leader at that time and even some thirty years later! Noteworthy are the following actions As early as 1974, FedEx realised the importance of value added services and the transformation into a logistics company. It tied up with Parts Bank and built up a small warehouse at Memphis to provide storage facility. Smith insisted of acquiring his own transportation fleet while others were booking space on public carriers. FedEx was the first company to introduce hand held scanners for drivers; this facilitated sending alerts to clients for pick up and delivery. In 1994, it was the first transport company to have a website with tracking and tracing facilities. In 1999, FedEx tied up with Netscape and thus gained access to millions of customers who were already on Netscape portal. It tied up with Dell, Cisco NatSemi and almost acted as their logistics and supply chain management. The above are some of the examples to prove that from 1973 to 1999, there were a number of incidents which make us feel that management at FedEx acted in a Classical fashion and tried to maximize its profits and returns on investments as much as possible. However when we look at the Re-branding strategy that was undertaken by the management in January 2000, it shows us the application of Evolutionary School of Thought strategy. Towards 2000, UPS, TNT and DHL were strongly competing with FedEx. FedEx had five subsidiary companies each with separate sales, marketing and customer service staff. Each unit had its own accounting practices. They were targeting different segments and were working independently. But this strategy resulted in a lot of duplicity of resources and wastage of time efforts. The subsidiaries were not even to leverage any synergies, not even the legacy of the FedEx brand. This is when the management at FedEx looked around and learnt from market and the competition. It undertook a major re-branding and re-alignment of resource strategy. All subsidiaries had FedEx branding thus denoting that it came from the same brand. They leveraged the consolidated pool of sales, marketing, accounting and customer service operations. It became a one-stop-shop for all sized of customers, whether it was business-to-business, home delivery, ground or heavy steel plates. Typically this is true in any industry and a new firm that enters the market at an early stage. The firm can operate in a classical manner, calling the shots. This is possible because of several reasons low threat of competitors, virtually no substitutes, low bargaining power of customers and high switching costs. This is typical in the case of FedEx as well. But the dynamics change, when other firms enter and the market becomes mature. In that scenario, it is not the firm but the market that decides. This scene can be seen in other industries as well. When Coca cola started operations, it was the king in the aerated segment, charging a price that it deemed fit and the customers were more than willing to pay the same, but years later when competition got ripe, such advantages disappear. There is a tendency to compete on prices, value added services because of which the market decides the viable price. To Coca Cola, the threat was not only from Pepsi and other soft drink beverages but even from other health drinks and water! This is when the entire product mix was realigned and Coca Cola introduced sports drinks, health drinks, tea coffee. Hence it is not a question of preference. It is which school is applicable as pet the time and maturity level of the industry. More often than not, we see that most of the times in a mature set up it is the Evolutionary School of Thought which is more relevant as market forces determine the pace and the direction in which change is required. Businesses which realize this well in time and pick up timely cues and act upon them thrive, while others wither with time. Section III Processual School of Thought, Staceys Four Loops and Strategy Implications A processual view of an organization suggests that organizations are a cocktail of individuals, each of who brings their own personalities, personal agendas and cognitive biases to the organization. Thus, strategy is a continuing process of adjustment evolvement because rational economic man is only a state of utopia and people are only boundedly rational. Most Processual scholars argue that because of these constraints, strategy is nothing else but the continuous adjusting of routines to awkward messages and cues from the environment which gradually force themselves on the managers attention. Strategy is not only planned and executed action, but it is also a means to make meaning of the chaos of the world. Staceys Integrated Model of Decision making and Control The Staceys Matrix is a critical tool that helps one navigates when faced with complexity in the field of strategy. This tool helps in adopting the right management action defines the strategy that one should focus at when faced in a complex environment with varying degree of certainty and agreement amongst the group in the organisation. Let us understand the axis first 1. Closeness to Certainty: Concerns or decisions are close to certainty when cause and effect linkages can be evaluated. This is mostly the case when a very similar issue or decision has been made in the past sometime. One can then assess and relate from past experience to predict the outcome of an action with a good degree of certainty. 2. Far from Certainty: The opposite of the above, is the extreme end of the certainty continuum. They are decisions that are far from certainty. These scenarios are often unique or at least new to the decision makers. The cause and effect connections are not clear. Extrapolating from past experience is surely not a good method to predict outcomes in the far from certainty range. 3. Agreement: The vertical axis measures the degree of agreement about an issue or decision within the group, team or organisation. As you would presume, the management or leadership function changes depending on the level of agreement surrounding an issue. Four Loops: Rational Loop Rational Decision Making is possible when there is closeness to certainty and closeness to agreement. In such cases, the group has a consensus on views, options and decisions; also high certainty permits references from the past. There is less risk involved so it is fairly easy to take a rational decision. As per the Processual School of Thought, such cases are a rarity in real time. Even if there is absolute clarity or certainty about an issue, to find absolute agreement in team is seldom possible. This is because each individual comes with his own objectives and interests. Political Loop Overt Covert Some themes have a great chance of certainty about how outcomes are created but high levels of disagreement about which results are desirable. Neither plans nor shared objectives are probably to work in this context. Instead, politics become more significant. Coalition building, negotiation, and compromise are used to make the organisations agenda and direction. Some misgivings have a high level of agreement but not much conviction as to the cause and effect linkages to create the sought after results. In these cases, monitoring against a set plan will not work. A sound sense of shared mission or vision may substitute for a plan in these cases. Comparisons are made not against plans but against the purpose and vision for the organisation. In this region, the objective is to head towards an agreed upon future state even though the specific paths cannot be prearranged. Culture Cognition As per the Cultural School of Thought, strategy formation is a collective process of social interaction, based on the beliefs and understandings shared by the team members of an organisation. Stacey defines culture as a set of assumptions people simply accept without question as they interact with each other. Thus strategy is based on perceptions and is deliberate if not fully conscious. This goes well with Processual School as well, because it assumes that people come with different perceptions and learn through a tacit process of acculturation. To conclude the above discussion, we can contemplate that strategies are often evolving, their coherence accruing through action and perceived in retrospect, while successive small steps finally merge into a pattern.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Cloning in our World :: science

Cloning in our World One of the latest advancements in technology is that of cloning. Cloning is the process of creating an identical copy of an original. In general, cloning is used in three contexts. First is using specialized DNA technology to produce multiple, exact copies of a single gene or other segment of DNA. This process is called cloning DNA. A second type of cloning exploits the natural process of cell division to make many copies of an entire cell. A third type of cloning produces complete, genetically identical animals such as the famous Scottish sheep, Dolly. The majority of people in America believe that cloning is unethical due to some moral issues. Others are afraid that cloning could me misused by governments and corporations creating clones to serve as slaves or soldiers to fight endless wars. I think that fear is the main argument against human cloning due to the fact that this is a newer branch in science and people are not very educated with the core concept of cloning. I believe that cloning is acceptable only if it is for the right reasons. My opinion is cloning should be allowed due to the countless possibilities we could gain in the health care field and human well being. For years, researchers have been working on finding a way to cure genetic diseases and save lives by cloning genes and organs. I think that these medical advancements are very beneficial for human kind in general. I totally disagree with people who say that God made some of us different and we should not try to change them. It is like saying that people who g ot sick after they were born should not seek medical help because God wanted them to get sick and they should just lie down and die. I say that if it is for the better of that person and if it is going to help them lead a normal life then let them do it. Even though I think that cloning genes and organs for medical purposes is acceptable, I think that cloning of humans is wrong. One of the biggest reasons why I am against human cloning is the health issue. I also think that it would be wrong if the government cloned people just to make them perfect and superior or to take control over the humanity as they did in the book Brave New World. Cloning in our World :: science Cloning in our World One of the latest advancements in technology is that of cloning. Cloning is the process of creating an identical copy of an original. In general, cloning is used in three contexts. First is using specialized DNA technology to produce multiple, exact copies of a single gene or other segment of DNA. This process is called cloning DNA. A second type of cloning exploits the natural process of cell division to make many copies of an entire cell. A third type of cloning produces complete, genetically identical animals such as the famous Scottish sheep, Dolly. The majority of people in America believe that cloning is unethical due to some moral issues. Others are afraid that cloning could me misused by governments and corporations creating clones to serve as slaves or soldiers to fight endless wars. I think that fear is the main argument against human cloning due to the fact that this is a newer branch in science and people are not very educated with the core concept of cloning. I believe that cloning is acceptable only if it is for the right reasons. My opinion is cloning should be allowed due to the countless possibilities we could gain in the health care field and human well being. For years, researchers have been working on finding a way to cure genetic diseases and save lives by cloning genes and organs. I think that these medical advancements are very beneficial for human kind in general. I totally disagree with people who say that God made some of us different and we should not try to change them. It is like saying that people who g ot sick after they were born should not seek medical help because God wanted them to get sick and they should just lie down and die. I say that if it is for the better of that person and if it is going to help them lead a normal life then let them do it. Even though I think that cloning genes and organs for medical purposes is acceptable, I think that cloning of humans is wrong. One of the biggest reasons why I am against human cloning is the health issue. I also think that it would be wrong if the government cloned people just to make them perfect and superior or to take control over the humanity as they did in the book Brave New World.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Curriculum-based Pedagogy

Every educator across levels has their own understanding and views about curriculum and pedagogy and these may be based from personal and theoretical knowledge and from their own experiences both as a student and educator. An educator in the conduct of his or her profession in actual practice would be guided by his or her perspective on what curriculum is and should be. Curriculum studies and development had become abstract and highly theoretical and curriculum inquiry is a difficult and perplexing area of study which many educators are not comfortable with.However, the beauty of curriculum inquiry is that it enables educators to come to terms with their own beliefs and interpretation of curriculum. The exercise can be quite painful and revealing to educators as it makes them realize their biases and preconceived notion on what education should be and how lacking or adequate their approaches and philosophies are. It is in this context that I begin the process of self-reflection on my own beliefs and perspective on curriculum-based pedagogy and the theories and personalities that have influenced me as an educator.I do not intend to justify my beliefs or educational philosophies but rather I attempt to expound on what I think are effective practices and curriculum theories that I have embraced in my profession as an educator. I know that theories are not infallible and some may generate more questions and criticisms than answers but I do believe that it is still a good practice to anchor one’s beliefs in a certain theory or perspective as it provides a guide and substance to what I do as educator.In this paper, I try to make sense of my own realities and how it has affected my work and my personal life. There are two kinds of educators, those who follow curriculums strictly and those who adopt curriculums to their own realities and learning environment (Eisner, 1998). I would like to think that I belong to the latter. I had always thought of curriculum as a guide, as a framework and as an evaluative tool in how I conduct my teaching. I do not adhere to a specific curriculum nor do I force curriculum to a learning environment if it is not suited.I have nothing against those who use curriculum religiously because I have seen it to be effective in some schools however, in a diverse learning environment, one has to adopt and adjust the curriculum to meet the needs of all learners. I still see this approach as curriculum-based because I follow the instructional models that the curriculum provides; the changes I make are still based on the given curricula and basically teach the same thing and arrive at the same learning goals but in a slightly more appropriate way for my set of learners.I may not always interpret and apply the lessons and approaches provided for by the curriculum accurately, but I always see to it that every lesson is a learning experience for my students. There are different reasons for adhering to a curriculum approach, one can be an implementer, a developer or a maker and the choice would be dictated by one’s personal experience and perspective.I view education as a complete process that mirrors life and teaches students the skills and knowledge that they need to live this life. On the other hand, I also acknowledge the great impact of learner characteristics to the effectiveness of education, thus, curriculum-based pedagogy should not be viewed as a narrow and constricting approach to instruction but as a democratic and deliberate artistry that will lead to a more practical and appropriate learning process (Feden & Vogel, 2003).I know of some educators who had adhered to the curriculum they had been trained to use and apply for the longest time, they were experts in that certain curriculum and have produced learning and knowledge for their students to absorb and assimilate, but they had refused to learn anything else. I don’t blame them, comfort and familiarity is a much safer terr ain than change and innovation. At a certain point in my profession, I had also gravitated towards curriculum fidelity wherein I did everything by the book and relied on what curriculum experts deemed as true and correct and most effective.However, when one immerses oneself in the filed and puts the curriculum to practice, it is a different story. There were instances when I was left hanging and felt inadequate about my teaching even when I did everything that was asked by the curriculum, I thought I was not being a good teacher, I took me some time to realize that the curriculum I was using was not meeting the needs of my students.The curriculum was not at fault, nor was my teaching the problem, the problem was that I restricted my creativity and artistry in interpreting the guides given by the curriculum; I was not confident in my own abilities but relied on what was prescribed and suggested. The obsession with following curriculum guides, lessons and content led me to become a cu rriculum transmitter. I was focusing on what was in the book, in the unit lessons and had very few attempts at augmenting the lessons through additional research or innovative strategies.The lessons I was teaching was only based on the prescribed textbook and I followed it unit by unit even though I noticed that some units were not relevant or applicable and that some units were not in the right order of presentation. I thought I was being a good teacher by following closely what was demanded of me based on the curriculum. My principal and supervisor approved of my teaching and the system that I followed, it was in those times when curriculum was the be all and end all of pedagogy.Why would it not be, when it was assumed that the prescribed curriculum was the best and that the teaching strategies and unit lessons covered all the things that students are expected to learn? Moreover, the curriculum was designed by curriculum experts who were knowledgeable about student learning and ef fective instruction. As I gained experience as a teacher, I begun to notice things, that sometimes the content covered in the curriculum was not developmentally appropriate because students were not absorbing it, that sometimes the lessons were too long for something that was easy and sometimes it was too short for a difficult concept.It was at this point that I became more aware of my students needs and how the prescribed curriculum was not really bringing out the desired learning from the students. I started slowly, at first I felt guilty about skipping some units but then I found out that the amount of learning students gained was not affected by the skipped units.I also tried little by little to introduce new information from other books or materials and made use of different strategies in presenting the lessons and student became more interested, in the past I was labeled as a boring teacher, but when I made the changes, I became a little popular and students started greeting m e in the hallways. But I did get in trouble for those changes, my principal was alarmed at why my previously quiet classes were becoming noisy, and why were my lesson plans not in accordance with the content in the book.I was told to revert to my old teaching strategies and to continue using the prescribed textbook only. And as I was an obedient teacher then, I did as I was told, however the seed was planted. I was wondering whether other schools followed the curriculum closely and whether there was some other way of teaching the same content. This is when I decided to find answers to my questions and I pursued higher education to augment my knowledge and understanding of educational practices and curriculum. I guess I have gone back to school full of idealism and the hope of finding the answers to my questions.When I went back to school I was eager to prove my supervisors wrong and that I was correct. It was only when I had started reading the course materials and the papers given to us in class did I realize that curriculum-based pedagogy is more than an approach, more than a theoretical concept. At first I had difficulty reconciling the fact that there are a number of curriculums that different schools adhered to and that effectiveness is often measured in terms of student outcomes and achievement of learning goals. At best the course was an eye opener, but sadly after two courses I decided to go back to teaching full time.I thought that I could better apply my curriculum perspective in real classrooms and students than simply learning it in class. I decided to become a curriculum developer in the sense that I would try to adjust and modify the curriculum I was working with. I guess I was too adamant for my own good, because I found myself half-baked, wondering whether the strategies I was using was correct or not and not knowing how to derive feedback from my colleagues or my students on the quality of my teaching. I found myself using one strategy after a nother that often left my students confused instead of gaining understanding.I begun to read about curriculum theorists and I was enlightened by their conceptions of what curriculum should be and how it is applied in actual teaching. However, some were too theoretical for me, it was too abstract and complex that naturally I gravitated towards the theories that were more practical, more realistic and more applicable to my present reality as a teacher. But I knew that whatever practical understanding I have of those curriculum theories, I was sorely lacking in the theoretical aspect and could not distinguish one from the other.Thus, I knew I had to go back to school, this time with a more open mind and a desire to learn. In the next part of the paper, I will outline the different perspectives of the curriculum theorists and educational figures that have impacted my own professional life as an educator and how they contributed to my own conception of deliberate artistry. John Dewey and the Social Curriculum John Dewey is one of the pioneers of curriculum development and in his pedagogic creed he outlined the nature of education and what its subject content should be (Dewey,1897).I read Dewey’s creed as part of our course readings and I readily found his perspective to appeal to my own sense of educational focus. Dewey argued that children develop through social interaction and the social environment that the child is situated in. Thus, to him education should reflect the social life of the child, he pointed out that schooling should be a life itself and not as a preparation for future life (Dewey,1897). I think what Dewey was arguing was for educators to make their lessons and instructions mirror reality and actual life relationships and processes instead of some abstractions.It is very easy for us to teach mathematical concepts and relationships in algebra and trigonometry without placing those relationships in actual experiences or realities. In this cas e, the teacher should be able to make the connections between algebraic relationships to objects and concepts that are real to the student. Who would have ever thought that mathematical concepts could be used to predict the number of baseball homeruns? Math becomes more real to the student when it is explained in terms of baseball, a sport that most students play or know about and are very real to them.Dewey also said that there are two aspects of education, psychological and social, wherein the intellect and development of the child’s psychological processes serves as the starting point for which education and learning should be based (Dewey,1897). Dewey recognized that the child in the course of his or her development has the capacity to make sense of his or her social interactions and will learn from it. The sociological aspect of education is to place into context the psychological attributes of the child and to ascribe meaning to his or her capacities in relation to his or her social reality.It is important for both the psychological and sociological aspect of education to be aligned as it would benefit the child and lead to optimum learning. For example, providing psychological stimulation without social meaning will result to superficial learning while focusing on the sociological without considering the psychological would result to developmentally inappropriate content and instruction. In this respect, Dewey advocated that education for it to be effective; it should be cognizant of both the intellect and development of the child and the social environment of the child.It makes perfect sense to me that Dewey strived to communicate such practice because we now know that learning and instruction must be synchronized and aligned for effective learning to occur, but he was ahead of his time. At present, the curriculum standards of most states dictate that at a certain grade level and age, a child must be able to master and learn a set of skills and information that are appropriate for their age. However, what is problematic about these so called standards is that it does not take into account the variation of human development; some children develop faster while others appear to lag behind.On the other hand, children who do not perform at par with the given standards are labeled slow learners or have learning disability which strip them from their self-confidence and diminishes their self-worth. In an age where we know more about cognitive development than ever before, we fail at incorporating that knowledge to the social institution that is responsible for educating our children and our future. Dewey was correct when he said that education should be focus on the total development of the child or student in relation to his or her social activities.But this is easier said than done, when accountability issues and achievement scores dominate the educational system, it is very difficult to honor Dewey’s recommendations. De wey postulated a curriculum that would allow for the social development of the child, for schools to become social institutions and for educational content to become the social life of the child (Dewey,1897). In this way, the child becomes more in touch with his or her nature and the social context in which he or she engages in a daily basis and which constitutes his or her life. This would imply that lessons taught should be through the experiences of the child.For example, a kindergarten teacher who wishes to introduce her students to counting and numbers would be more effective if she uses blocks, balls or candies that children are familiar with and have come across it through their social interaction. On the other hand, it would not make sense to teach a historical event to students without connecting it to their present realities. For example, if I teach children about some ancient civilization and not connect it to the present realities in our society and culture, then I would have failed to impart to them information that had mattered and that would have shaped their own learning.In terms of curriculum content, Dewey had said that every lesson, concept and skill should be taught in the view of the social activities of the child. He had identified a number of subject matters that should be taught to children and this includes the arts, literature, language, culture and science as it encompasses the essence of human life. However, he cautioned on the mere teaching of science as an objective subject as it limits the experience of students in terms of how social lie is shaped by scientific developments.Dewey also stressed the importance of literature and language studies as the expression and cultivation of life experiences (Dewey,1897). It is important to study literature as it provides children with an unrestrictive medium of self expression as well as an understanding of the social realities of the past and the present. Language should not be taught only as a series of sounds, phonetics words or even grammar but as a form of communicating and the medium wherein knowledge is transmitted, ideas are shared and emotions are expressed.The problem with being too curriculum oriented is that we tend to rely on what is prescribed and live out our own creativity. Language instruction should first focus on the expression of experiences, the learning of grammar rules, tenses and subject-verb-agreement would then follow because the student has found that language is an effective agent of expressing ideas and experiences. In the classroom, this would mean that importance should be placed on developing students’ language skills such as speaking and then motivating them to become more effective communicators through the learning of correct grammar and pronunciation.

Friday, November 8, 2019

A Christmas Carol †Charles Dickens

A Christmas Carol – Charles Dickens Free Online Research Papers Charles Dickens the writer of â€Å"A Christmas Carol† in my opinion has written the most beloved Christmas story of all time. The story is constructed with good well rounded characters. The story line is very social, with the story of a man of greed and smug, change to be charitable and thoughtful. Charles Dickens made the story have characters that each reader can easily relate too. Such as Mr. Crachit, a character that is the worker of a strict superior, he always does as he is told. Emotions are also created in Dickens characters. Tiny Tim had my sympathy thought out the novel. With the line said by ghost of Christmas present â€Å"There will be an empty seat next year† made me hope that Scrooge would help the poor boy. What I thought was interesting about each character was that, Dickens made each character appear miserable and change to happy. I really enjoyed the story line, and the writing technique. Story line worked with each one of the five staves. Each stave represented a change in Scrooge. The first stave was introductory and shows who Scrooge was. The second stave was of the Christmas past, third stave was about Christmas present, the fourth stave showed Scrooge about Christmas yet to come. The finale stave was to show the change that happened to Scrooge. From the start of the book to the end of the book Dickens make the reader do a complete 180 about Scrooge and they think of him. I highly recommend this novel for every body to read. Beyond this being the best Christmas story, each reader will have thought of themselves and thoughts of there Christmas past, present, and yet to come. Research Papers on A Christmas Carol - Charles DickensThe Masque of the Red Death Room meaningsMind TravelHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows EssayLifes What IfsHonest Iagos Truth through DeceptionHip-Hop is Art19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraWhere Wild and West MeetStandardized TestingAnalysis Of A Cosmetics Advertisement

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Charles Darwins Biography

Charles Darwins Biography We are a part of a great life on our planet. For many years, we tried to understand the world, where we live. We also tried to find out the roots and the source of our appearance. Therefore, there were suggested many theories concerning the way of our appearance in the world.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Charles Darwins Biography specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Some of these theories are well-known for us, and some of them are still hidden or, at least, hard to comprehend. Paying attention to the well-known theories of our origin, we can observe a great number of variants, each of which presents to us something new about our history and the way, how we entered this great and interesting world. There should be also admitted that in different times, there were different theories that were considered to be the only true variants of our origin and some of them were still regarded to be false. In spite of the fact tha t some religious conservatives reject Darwin’s theories (Gelernter et al. 52), Darwin with his ideas is well-known all around the world. His theories enjoy wide popularity among representatives of different cultures and nations. His book â€Å"The Origin of Species† presented a new way of understanding our origin and our life. However, there are still many issues in Darwin’s work, which have to be analyzed and be better understood by us. Therefore, there can be observed many attempts to understand Darwin: Darwin’s theory touches upon very difficult and important things and observe different ways of using the word â€Å"nature†. To comprehend Darwin’s ideas and intentions, it is very important to understand his world and his attitude to this life and to realize that by Darwin, nature is a great part of us. The first thing that is very important for understanding Darwin is the analysis of his life, the way he worked and understood this great w orld. We know that Darwin lived in the industrial world, and we can observe the facts, which reflect this in his works, when he uses metaphors reflected the world of business, factories and the empire (Crook 160). Therefore, that is necessary to mention that such a situation influenced Darwin very much, as that is not possible to live and to work without feeling the influence of time. That is also possible to suppose that Darwin tried to compare the system that exits in nature and in business. Because in his works we can observe the situation that all the species live in great competition, and that is why some species can change some other species (Darwin 67-90). The same situation we can observe in the sphere of business. So, we can say that Darwin tried to see and to understand the world through the glasses of the time, when he lived and worked. Such a statement is very important for understanding Darwin.Advertising Looking for essay on philosophy? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The other thing that is quiet necessary for understanding Darwin is the meaning of the word â€Å"nature† in his work. For all of us, the word â€Å"nature† means something very important and necessary. However, each person understands the meaning of this world in different ways. And such a situation can be explained with the fact that that is almost impossible to give one general explanation to this word. Many people use this word as the second possible name of the world. Some people think that nature is just a small part of our great world. As for Darwin, here we can say that he uses the word â€Å"nature† in different ways. For example, he uses this word in order to show our word: â€Å"†¦ in the hands of man, apply in nature†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Darwin 67). In this situation, we can understand the word â€Å"nature† in the meaning of the whole world. This meaning is quiet understandabl e and clear for us. That is also possible to say that Darwin understands and really thinks that nature is the world, where we live and where we create something new. That means that we can influence this world. We can change something in many different ways. There is also an idea that the time of Darwin was reflected in his works. As in the industrial world people tried to change the world very much in order to make it more convenient for their life. Darwin tried to show that people always tried to change the world, as that was possible to do that. Therefore, we understand nature as just the world where we live and which we try to change according to our own desires. We can also observe such meaning of the word â€Å"nature† in the next Darwin’s words from his work â€Å"The Origin of Species†: â€Å"†¦we should then have places in the economy of nature †¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Darwin 67-90). Here we can also observe the situation when Darwin understands nature as our world, with its important components and systems. We just take this world and live in it, of course, changing it according to our way of life. For example, when talking about different species, Darwin states that they all already exist in nature, in our world, by some of them disappear and some new species appear (Darwin 67-90). Therefore, we can say that we can change this world and even create some other one. At the same time Darwin uses the word â€Å"nature† in some other meaning. For example, in the Darwin’s words: â€Å"†¦ so could Nature but far more easily†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Darwin 67-90).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Charles Darwins Biography specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Here, nature stands as a great power that is much stronger than man is. Therefore, Darwin writes this word with the capital letter in order to show its importance and value. The great power of Nature can change na ture as our world, according to its own plans. In addition, that is necessary to mention that in the text Darwin uses the pronoun â€Å"she† instead of the word â€Å"Nature† (Darwin 67-90). In this way he shows that Nature is something alive and that it exists and lives together with man and all other species. We can also observe the word â€Å"Nature† in the next part of the text of â€Å"The Origin of Species†: â€Å"†¦Nature cares nothing for appearances†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Darwin 67-90). Here that can be understood that Nature cannot be seen but it can be felt, and that man can be seen but he cannot influence his life from the inside Darwin 67-90). From these words we can understand that Nature and man act in different spheres and planes. Nature is something very important and very necessary for our life, and we cannot do something without it, as it created us. Therefore, that is quiet wrong to think that man is the lord of the world. Everything in the world is just under control of Nature. That is necessary to say that Darwin tried to show the role of Nature and the role of man in our world. In The Decent of Man, Darwin evaluated a change as something of â€Å"a quite unexpected nature† (Darwin et al., 100). Comparing Nature and nature, we can say that Darwin showed nature as the world where we live, and Nature as the power that exists in all spheres and areas of this world. He also wanted to show that man lives between nature and Nature, as he lives in this world, changes it, but , of course, in accordance with the rules of Nature. Therefore, man can change nature, and Nature can change man. However, this power of Nature is difficult for understanding. We can change nature, and in this way we can make other species appear or disappear (Darwin 67-90). However, Nature can change us. For example, the power of Nature can change a climate of countries, and in this way Nature can change our conditions of life, and we are po werless not to let Nature do that (Darwin 67-90). We can also take weather. We cannot make it rain or snow, and at the same time we cannot make it stop raining or snowing. In such a situation we can really see that we are powerless, and that we are just creatures of Nature. Therefore, Nature is a really great power that can do everything with this world. Therefore, some people are really afraid of this power, as it can destroy us. That is important to say that such fears are right, as nowadays we can observe many catastrophes that cannot be prevented by man. Darwin understood the existence of the great power of Nature. And using the word â€Å"nature† in different ways, Darwin wanted to show that there is the world where we live, and that there is the great power of Nature that influences our lives.Advertising Looking for essay on philosophy? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Comparison of these two meanings of the word â€Å"nature† is very important for understanding Darwin’s theory, as he wanted to show not just the way of our origin and the world where we live, but also he wanted to show as the great power of Nature. In this way Darwin wanted to show us that we are not the masters of this world, and that we are just a great part of it. In conclusion, that is possible to say that we all live in nature, and sometimes we do really think that we are the lords of this world, and that we can do everything with it, but we are mistaken. Very often, these mistakes bring us to catastrophes. Nevertheless, there are many people, who try to understand the real course of nature. Among these people we can observe Darwin, who tried to show to the whole world the real nature and the real situation in the world. We should try to understand him, and in order to do that we should investigate the questions of Darwin’s work very attentively. For examp le, we should try to understand how Darwin sees the nature, how he understands it. Taking into consideration our observations, we can say that there were different variants of nature in Darwin’s works. Understanding of these variants is very important for understanding Darwin. That is clear that Darwin’s theories can help us to make more right actions and to understand that not everything in this world is under our control. We should try to live in agreement with the great power of Nature, by means of not destroying its other creature – our great world. Darwin was a very great scientist, who made a very great contribution into the development of our world. We should study his works, in order to understand this world better. Our life is in our hands. However, we should take into account the rest parts of this world. Nature is our home, and that is also a home for many other species. Therefore we should not be the only masters of this world. Crook, Paul. Darwins Origin of Species: A Biography. The Australian Journal of Politics and History 53.1 (2007): 160+. Darwin, Charles. The Origin of Species. Ed. Gillian Beer. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1996. Dawrin, Charles, Zimmer, Carl, and Waal, Frans. The Decent of Man. New York: Plume, 2007. Gelernter, David, Thomas Fleming, Michael Behe, and John O. Mcginnis. The Descent of Man: Can Conservative Concepts Be Derived from Evolution? Critics Respond to John O. McGinnis. National Review 9 Mar. 1998: 52+.

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Critical reading choose any topic Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Critical reading choose any topic - Term Paper Example e of the former attributes of the physical anthropology had to be replaced during the changes such as the biological determinism and the social implications. The examination of the science of race was started during World War 1 as the tensions increased between the groups fighting and sympathy from AAA begun the first process of change. What is shocking with this particular reason for change was the fact that there were still underlying tensions even after the change between some of the races and which is still in existence to date which means further changes in the scientific field needs to be researched and examined (Little & Kennedy, 2010). It is the different population thoughts and influences that begun the demise process of the race in the old physical anthropology. Scientists took over the anti-race campaign and especially the biological determinism issue and focus seemed to shift to population as a whole and the social issues they faced such as equality and financial issues. All this has continued to evolve and change for a long time now and is still in the process of being fully cemented. The fact that anthropologists seems to frequently agree and disagree with each other and with other people as well as the population in general is the root cause of the changes taking too long to be adopted in the new physical anthropology (Sandford, 2008). Once the population started being examined as a whole, the issue of modernism and how to synthesis modernism into the anthropological aspects started developing and have been adopted to replace the race. This is actually a good move according to (Erickson & Murphy, 2008) because it incorporates well with the modern changes taking place in the society and hence the social influences that led to the changes in the first place will be readopted in future bearing in mind the modern changes. With the population being subjected and opened up to the idea of adopting changes, they will fill perfectly with especially the

Friday, November 1, 2019

Marketing a New Philosophy of Management Research Paper

Marketing a New Philosophy of Management - Research Paper Example The end of this study will find several considerable results. Its possible outcome involves significant improvement in the knowledge and understanding of most modern concepts of marketing. The study will give a new direction to future training and research work within the field of marketing. Over the years the marketing concept has certainly grown in popularity and status, finding application as a generic business philosophy in a wide range of contexts. However, the concept itself has remained essentially unchanged. A new concept of marketing encourages firms to have a posh name in order to succeed in today’s competition. Despite the often devout adherence to the concept as a normative pillar, in recent years writers such as Houston and Gassenheimer have challenged the marketing concept, arguing that much marketing activity is in fact about the forestalling of competition and the supremacy of markets, not consumer autonomy. (Wensley, 2005) Others have raised doubts about its role in improving the competitiveness of organizations. On the basis of empirical evidence, they have suggested that the implementation of the marketing concept has actually undefined competitiveness. These authors were among the first to question, perhaps unfairly, the value of the marketing concept. (Hooley and Lynch, 2003) But, the key point to which they helped to draw our attention was that the implementation of the marketing concept was becoming the Achilles heel of the discipline. In the absence of clear guidelines about how to put it into practice and make it effective, that which was left was little more than vacuous rhetoric. ( Samli, Palda, and Barker, 2008). This paper argues for the continued development and reappraisal of the marketing concept of something having a posh name. The main point is that the marketing concept, as it is often written about, assumes many of the characteristics of an ideology or an article of faith.