Killing and Letting Die free essay sample

Foot’s calculated article entitled, ‘Killing and Letting Die’ is one which provides arguments through hypothetical situation’s, discrediting opinions and beliefs of other modern philosophers. Its main cause is to locate moral differentiation between the active taking of life versus allowing death to occur by means of not producing assistance. Afterwards Foot applies these beliefs onto the sub-topic of abortion, highlighting flawed examples of pro-abortion arguments she then counters these with her own strong outlooks. In this critical report I intend to analyse the relevance and application of Foot’s arguments highlighting both strengths and weaknesses in Foot’s judgements. Foot opens by expressing that in specific circumstances, for instance our negligence to end third world starvation as opposed to the giving of poisoned food to these starving individuals, our moral agency has a role. This is a sound argument, we have sufficient resources to end starvation with little if any detriment to ourselves yet we fail to provide. We will write a custom essay sample on Killing and Letting Die or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This failure is just as morally wrong as providing poisoned food. This is not to say Foot believes killing and allowing to die are the same. It is merely her belief in this particular circumstance that they are not morally dissimilar. Proceeding this is a hypothetical proposal of two circumstances: One, in which 6 individuals are reliant on the intake of a certain rare drug. One individual requires the full quota of this specific medification in order to live, thus the other five would not receive the drug and would consequentially die. It is therefore clear to Foot that the five should receive the drug and regrettably allow this individual to die. The other, where five persons require organs and to save their life one patient is killed to obtain these for the five in need. The clear moral distinction between these two is the role played by moral agency. We play our part as an ‘agent’ in the death of a person whereas in the other we cannot be held responsible for the eventual outcome- being his death. It is our active involvement in the case of ‘the killing for spare parts’ which is denounced as morally wrong by Foot, whereas in the case of providing the medicine at a lower quantity to the five patients rather than all the medicine to the one patient; we are not an agent in the death as the resources were insufficient to keep the individual alive. Thus Foot concludes a morally justified stance is adopted. This point is further continued in Foot’s ‘Rescue I’ and ‘Rescue II’ cases she offers. Rescue I involves a rescue team hurrying to save five persons from drowning before the receive news of one person threatened by some other happening, they choose to continue to save the five and regretfully allow him to die. This is then contrasted with the hypothetical situation of Rescue 2. Rescue 2, the rescue team are on their way to save the five from drowning when blocking their road is an individual trapped on their route. To continue and save the five the team would have to drive over the individual resulting in certain death. Foot progresses this point by stating, â€Å"We cannot originate a fatal sequence, although we can allow one to run its course. † It is therefore apparent Foot is establishing her stance as against the idea killing and allowing to die are morally divergent. This stance though can be countered with an example proposed by James Rachels which is recognised by Foot. In the first case, a child is intentionally held underwater in the bath until they drown. And in the second an individual see’s the child slip and fall underwater, whilst the child drowns they do nothing. Foot accepts that both are morally wrong however she provides weak and incoherent reasoning for her contradiction. Resorting to an argument involving ‘levels of badness’, as if an untoward deed can be rated on a scale. It is ludicrous to suggest any act of malicious or evil intent can be inferior to another simply because of the outcome. Also Foot suggests that because the two cases differ in their acts, the result cannot be known to be the same. Foot’s established beliefs are then applied to the sub-topic of abortion, and if there are any situations it is morally justifiable to abort a foetus. Foot introduces an argument voiced by Thomson in favour of abortion. Thomson’s belief is that abortion is always morally justifiable as no human being has the right to use of another’s body, therefore the foetus’ rights are waived and the mother’s rights to remove the foetus as a hindrance take precedence. Foot recites Thomson’s flawed example of an dangerously ill individual being hooked to the body of another person without consent in order to survive being similar to that of a pregnant woman. She continues to say if the unconsenting person detaches himself he is not a murderer as the ill person is proving an inconvenience to them. Foot breaks down this argument by showing there is an intrinsic difference between instigating a fatality and not providing the means to continue life. Foot finds that the language used to describe failing to provide the means to survive does not serve purposes of this argument. Foot indicates the word ‘kill’ is unimportant and it is infact the outcome of death is not instigated by an agent it is otherwise allowed to take place. This is relative to the act of abortion as Foot suggests the foetus is dependant on its mother in the same way children depend on their parent’s for food and shelter. Thus Foot hints that the previous suggestions by Thomson are horrendously faulty, by denouncing her comment that a mother’s rights override a foetus’ rights as it hinders her life. Surely this is saying that if an alive child is proving a encumbrance to it’s parents lives it is morally justifiable that they terminate its life. Foot correctly highlights that the arguments hinges upon the audiences perception of a foetus’ moral status. Be it as a human being or otherwise. Foot proclaims that if the foetus should be considered a human being then Thomson’s argument is as similar to ‘the killing of the man for spare parts’. Concluding that the foetus’ status remains at the core of justifying the opposition or support of abortion as an act.

Chemistry Lab †Determining A Molecular Formula

Chemistry Lab – Determining A Molecular Formula Free Online Research Papers Purpose: To determine the molecular formula of CuSO4 xH2O using the mass of percent of water. Hypothesis: The variable x will be 5 and therefore the molecular formula will be CuSO4 5H2O. Materials: Hot Plate Beam Balance 100mL Beaker Scoopula Stirring Rod Beaker Tong Hydrated Copper (II) Sulfate Procedure: 1. Prepared a table to record observations. 2. Carefully plugged hot plate into desk outlet and turned on to medium heat. 3. Measured the mass of the beaker and the stirring rod. Recorded the mass in the table. 4. Added 3 g to 5 g of hydrated copper (II) sulfate to the beaker. 5. Measured the mass of the beaker with the hydrated copper (II) sulfate. Recorded the mass in table. 6. Heated the beaker with the hydrated copper (II) sulfate, stirred occasionally, until the crystals lost their blue colour. 7. Removed the beaker with the beaker tongs and allowed it to cool. 8. Found the mass of the beaker with the white powder. Recorded the mass in the table. Results: Substance Mass Empty beaker and glass rod 53.02 g Beaker, glass rod, and hydrated copper sulfate 57.34 g Beaker, glass rod, and anhydrous copper sulfate 56.165 g Hydrated copper sulfate 4.32 g Anhydrous copper sulfate 3.145 g Water 1.175 g Questions: 1. Determine the percent by mass of water in your sample of hydrated copper (II) sulfate. 2. Based on your data, determine the molecular formula of CuSO4 xH2O. 3. Suppose that you heated a sample of hydrated ionic compound in a test tube. What might you expect to see inside of the test tube, near the top of the test tube? Explain. If I heated a sample of a hydrated ionic compound in a test tube, inside the test tube I would expect to see water vapour, since the H2O would be evaporating when heated in the hot plate. 4. Suppose that you did not completely convert the hydrate to the anhydrous compound. Explain how this would effect: a) The calculated percent by mass of water in the compund. If I didnt completely convert the hydrate to the anhydrous compound, the calculated percent by mass of water int hecompound would be less. This is because the mass of the water would be less due to the mass of the anhydrous copper sulfate would be more. Thus it is not completely anhydrous. Therefore, if I went to subtract the hydrated by the anhydrous copper sulfate to get the mass of the water, it would be less. b) The molecuar formula you determined. If I didnt completely convert the hydrate to the anhydrous compound, the molecular formula would also be less since the mass of the water would be less due to the mass of anhydrous copper sulfate being more). Therefore, your molecular formula (and x) would be less. 5. Suggest a cource of error (not alraedy mentioned) that would result in a value of x that is: a) higher than the actual value. A course of error that would result in a value of x that is higher than the actual value is if you had not measured the masses correctly. If you had measured the mass to be more than it actually was, than your x would end up being higher than the actual value. b) lower than the actual value. A source of error that would result in the value of x that is lower than the actual value is if you had not measured the masses correctly. If you had not measured the compound with the stirring rod inside, than the mass would be less than it actually was. Thus, your x would be lower than the actual value. 6. List 5 specific safety precautions pertinent to this experiment. Pertinent to this experiment, there were some safety precautions to be taken into consideration. Firstly, your hair would have to be tied back since you were working with a hot plate. Secondly, you had to keep the aisles clear in case of an emergency, so that the teacher can have easy access to you. This also includes keeping your stools and bags clear of the aisles. Thirdly, you had to use a beaker tong to place the beaker ont op of the beam balance, since it was too hot to touch. Fourthly, you had to check your beaker for any cracks, since if it had any, then it would have a great chance of it exploding when heated. Lastly, you had to constantly moniter the hot plate and make sure not to touch it since you would burn yourself if you did. Conclusion: In conslusion, the hypothesis has been proven to be incorrect since the hypothesis was that the variable x will be 5. However, through calculations, it was proven the correct answer for variable x is 3. Therefore, the molecular formula of the hydrate is CuSO4 3H2O. Research Papers on Chemistry Lab - Determining A Molecular FormulaDefinition of Export QuotasResearch Process Part OneEffects of Television Violence on ChildrenThe Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug UseRelationship between Media Coverage and Social andStandardized TestingAnalysis Of A Cosmetics AdvertisementThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationThe Spring and AutumnMoral and Ethical Issues in Hiring New Employees

Summary for 'the parable of sower' Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Summary for 'the parable of sower' - Essay Example Question #2: The destruction of the gated community where Lauren and her family live. The meeting of Lauren and Taylor Bankole on their journey north marks her first encounter with love. The transformation of her belief that God is change, into a religion and acquiring new followers in the form of Travis and Zahra. The disappearance of Lauren’s father and the death of her brother Keith. The enlargement of the north bound group. Question #3: Lauren Olamina is the leader of the group offering guidance to the group (Mayer 113), and the story is told from her point of view. Harry Balter being the only man initially provides added security. Zahra Moss proves to Lauren that she can teach people to read and write. Taylor bankole acts a source of wisdom and balances the age gap among members of the group because he is older than the rest of the group members. Question #4Dystopia is the setting of a story or film based on the future dysfunction of affairs in a community and members group together for protection against the chaos from outside. Characters group into a group of trusting individuals and shun others they do not trust. Question #7: The empathy disease is a condition of actually experiencing emotional and physical pain or pleasure of other people. Lauren, Grayson Mora, Emery Tanaka Solis, Tori and Doe are ‘sharers’. ‘Sharing’ in society is aimed at portraying the need to understand other peoples’ feelings and the good it could accomplish in attaining a better relationship among individuals. Question #20: The book is an enjoyable read because the issues it address are already present making it easier to identify with the characters’ situation. The book is a good recommendation to those who enjoy fiction based on near true circumstances or

The Corporate Strategy of Metro in the Canadian Market Research Paper

The Corporate Strategy of Metro in the Canadian Market - Research Paper Example The corporate level strategy is the overall or board strategies that the company has adopted. However, the business level strategy is the specific strategy that the company has implemented in order to achieve competitive advantage. Metro has applied a cost leadership strategy and the company is highly focused on reducing its overall costs so that they can offer goods to the customers at lower prices. Strategic models have been used to analyze the internal and external environment of the company. SWOT analysis and Porter’s Five forces model have been used to analyze the market conditions. SWOT analysis highlights the company has several strengths and there are opportunities in the market that Metro can capitalize. However, it is important for Metro to work on its weaknesses and take steps to reduce the impact of the threats that the company faces to further improve its position in the country. Porter five forces define the bargaining power of customers, bargaining power of supp liers, intensity of competition, threats from new entrants and threats from substitute products that Metro faces. At the end of the report gives a brief conclusion about the strategies of Metro and how the company can expand its operations and improve its profitability in the years to come. The strategy is defined as the plan of actions that the firm has set in order to achieve its targets or objectives or vision or mission (Johnson, & Scholes, 2001). Every organization operates with a target or with a mission and it is important for the management to formulate strategies that would lead to the accomplishment of these targets or mission (Bartlett, and Ghoshal, 1991). Mission and vision of the company are the tools that are used to motivate the employees and management and motivation to work would only arise if there is a mission to be achieved (Porter, 1980). However, it is important to have strategies that would make sure the efforts are put in the right direction. If a company doe s not have a proper strategy, then despite hard work and efforts from the employees, the company might not be able to reach its destination (Lee, and Carter, 2010). Managing a business has become complex today. With the increasing complexities of the external environment and organizations now need to be more focused and analyze their external environment carefully as well as regularly (Schroiff, and Arnold, 2004). By analyzing the external environment, an organization is able to identify factors that could influence their operations and profitability (Doole, and Lowe, 2008). Organizations can only plan and formulate their strategies if these factors are identified. Proper planning and careful formulation of strategies would allow firms to improve their earnings and achieve growth. This report will analyze one of the leading grocery stores in Canada, Metro. Metro is the food retailer operating in two major provinces of Canada; Quebec and Ontario. The company has its headquarters in M ontreal, Canada. The company has been growing despite increasing competition in the market.

Market Economy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Market Economy - Essay Example Therefore, the market will only depend on the pricing, which affects their frequency for demand of some products. For instance, when some prices of some goods are reduced, the customers could insist on increasing the quantity in demand. This technique could be used by markets to shape their demand for products in the market, depending on the market perception of the products and pricing (Gregory & Robert 2004).   In part A, there is need to have a focus on the provided data, which would be used in plotting the demand curve. Given the equation P = 10 – 0.5 Q, there should be a stated acceptable pricing and quantity that will be used by the consumers. The pricing will have a direct effect on the quantity in demand, as they are closely related. Using the current price of ? 6.50, the equation will be denoted as follows; P = 10 – 0.5 Q This will be followed by a substitution of the price, which is P ? 6.50 = 10 – 0.5 Q 6.50 – 10 = - 0.5 Q -3. 50 = - 0.5 Q 3. 50 = 0.5 Q 2 *3. 50 = 0.5 Q *2 7=1Q Q = 7 When the pricing of the moonshine club is at ? 6.50, the attendance according to the above mentioned equation will be seven. This means that, the attendance will be at 7, when the pricing is at ? 6.50. Using the above equation, there is a possible curve that could be derived, given the pricing range from ? 0 to ? 10. The pricing and attendance will have change, depending on the curve and preference of the demand. For instance, many people will increase their attendance when the pricing is low. pricing quantity 0 20 1 18 2 16 3 14 4 12 5 10 6 8 7 6 8 4 9 2 10 0 In plotting a demand schedule, there are various considerations that should be factored. The First factor is the pricing of the moonshine club. The second consideration is the demand for the services of the moonshine club. When the price of the club is at 10, there would be a possible zero attendance. However, when the price of the club is at 0, the attendance is likely to be at 20. Th e elasticity of the moonshine club is evident in their pricing. The highest pricing is denoted at 10, which brings a zero attendance. However, when the club decides to reduce its pricing to zero, the attendance will be full at 20. To make a better reflection on the elast5city of the club in pricing, there is need to focus on the equilibrium point. The equilibrium point is where the lines intercept. This is when the price is at ? 6, and the attendance will be denoted at 8. In part B, there are several considerations that could be used to make the favourable changes in the pricing and demand for the services of moonshine club. In the first instance, when a substitute club initiates a reduction of the pricing from ? 5 to ? 4.50, there are possible changes that could be discovered. Since moonshine is charging ? 6.50. With two visits to moonshine club, the customer will be spending ? 13.00. However, going to the substitute charging ? 4.50 will be favorable as the customer would make thre e visits which will be charged a ? 13.50. ? 5.00 ? 4.50 2 3 In this graph, it is evident that a person would prefer three visits to a substitute club, than spend the equivalent on two visits top moonshine club. In the second scenario, there is a change in the annual income which is a 10 percent increase. With such an increase, there is a possible increase in the

An integral part of teaching

An integral part of teaching How and why we assess our children has a massive impact on their life in education and consequently on how and what we plan and teach, and how children learn. The National Curriculum defines assessment as an integral part of teaching and learning (1999, p.17), emphasising the value of assessing the process of learning and teaching as well as the outcome. Suggestions on a range of assessment strategies and tools are included in the curriculum but to enable teachers and schools to continue the development of good assessment practice, more detailed guidance is necessary. To begin with it is perhaps necessary to define assessment as any process used to inform teachers as to a pupils progress and learning. There are many different types of assessment, usually discussed as different purposes of assessment while these assessments certainly differ in several significant aspects; they are united in their aspirations of making a positive contribution to bringing about learning. There are two main forms of assessment; formative and summative. I have observed both types in the classroom, recognising that the key to excellent assessment practice is to understand what each form and their methods contribute. From these observations I understand that in order to become successful in my pedagogy I need to construct my teaching to maximise the success of both formative and summative assessment in my classroom. To allow me competently use both assessment for learning and assessment of learning I must develop a range and knowledge of assessment purposes and strategies which I will now discuss. Formative assessment can provide a snapshot moment by moment picture of the success of teaching and learning. It provides the two way dialogue between educator and child, the knowledge which enhances pedagogy allowing teaching to become relevant and timely. Assessment for Learning in particular will be a clear focus for me as I look for opportunities to strengthen my own teaching practice, having observed first hand the strong contribution AfL, which the National Strategies defines as a natural, integral and essential part of effective learning and teaching and is a key element of personalised learning. Teachers and children continually reflect on how learning is progressing, see where improvements can be and identify the next steps to take (2004), can make towards effective teaching. It makes the difference between self-assured and stimulated pupils, and disenfranchised pupils who are uncertain of the rationale behind the learning objective. The case for clearly communicating the learning outcome to the class is picked up on by Clarke (2006). In my own experience and observation, this results in making learning relevant especially when the learning intention is placed in the context of previous and future learning. It also helps to illuminate which areas of subject knowledge are required to teach at which time and how this information or teaching of skills is to be structured. Clarke also recommends that the teacher works with children to identify success criteria. These are used to supply feedback to both pupils and the teacher regarding the extent to which the learning objective has been met. Consequently, the use of formative assessment enriches the process of teaching, planning and curriculum development. It can inform not only the short term goals for the class, but also the negotiated curriculum, as children are encouraged to become active learners by reflecting on their own progress and motivation. It must be stressed that not all assessment needs to be quantitative, nor does it need to be recorded .The teachers own reflective process is a vital part of assessment. The purpose of summative assessment is to illustrate that pupils have met their learning goals or reached a certain standard of accomplishment. Formative assessment in basic definition is the collection and use of evidence about the learning in relation to the explicit objectives and outcomes of a lesson. This type of assessment can then be used and interpreted by the teacher to identify what the pupil has achieved, any gaps in knowledge and to decide what steps are needed to enable the pupil to reach their potential and unit outcome. I have observed formative assessment being used to inform teachers of pupil progress and to enable them to adapt their planning and teaching to their childrens needs. The aim of formative assessment is to impact positively on pupil learning and effective pedagogy. There is a growing amount of evidence suggesting that formative assessment raises both progress and attainment levels Assessment begins in this way in the Early Years Foundation stage (EYFS), where in 2003; the Foundation Stage Profile (FSP) was introduced. The FSP consists of 13 scales relating to creative development, knowledge and understanding of the world, personal, social and emotional development, physical development, language and literacy and mathematical development. Children are assessed on each scale and their progress towards achieving early learning goals is judged. During my previous experience in my base school, I have observed how a pupil profile is built up over the EYFS, so that evidence can be used formatively and later summarised against the performance descriptions of the scales for reporting at the end of each term. Through my experience of the EYFS I have seen how teacher-based this form of assessment is, as the evidence accumulated for each child is derived from on-going learning activities. This normally takes place through the use of observation sheets and post-its. Occasi onally, a more formal assessment takes place where the teacher asks the child in question if they can perform a specific task, the evidence from which is then logged and used as assessment data, however these are still situated within the normal day to day routines of the children and no cause of distress. (Q 11 12) In comparison to the FSP, the assessment children experience in Key Stages 1 and 2 varies greatly and summative assessment plays a greater role. Summative assessment is the assessment of learning and is used to record the achievements of individuals at a particular point in their learning (usually at the end of a topic, term or year). Rather than a steady trickle of specific learning goals, it refers to a broader learning outcome which has been achieved over a longer period of time. In contrast to the singular outcomes of formative assessment, summative assessments are used in several different ways, some relating to individual pupils and some to aggregated results of groups of pupils. At the end of both Y2 and Y6, children are expected to undertake external tasks and tests in mathematics and English (SATS). The results of Key Stage 2 SATS in particular are a cause of immense pressure for both pupils and teachers, as they are reported and used to inform national statistics. It is only at the end of each Key Stage that pupil attainment must be reported in terms of national curriculum levels; however there is also a statutory requirement to provide parents with a summative report once each year. Many schools choose to include within this the levels children have reached during the academic year this trend has been reinforced by the use of optional SATS for years between 2 and 6. In addition to the assessment and tracking of individual pupils, test results (KS1 and KS2 SATS) are used to evaluate the effectiveness of the education provided by teachers, schools and local authorities and compared nationally. The results of these examinations have huge implications and c onsiderable importance for teachers as the results are used to inform targets which schools must take accountability for meeting. There are established Government national targets for the percentage of children achieving a level 4 in the key stage 2 tasks which schools are required to set targets for. The consequences of not achieving these targets are severe, with schools become subject to OFSTED inspections and categories, with lack of attainment becoming the main cause of a school being placed in special measures. (Q 11 12 13) In order to avoid such consequences, teachers are facing constant pressure to ensure children are achieving age related expectations, amid fears that they will fail to hit Government targets. Children in our primary schools are in danger of being taught a limited timetable as some schools and teachers focus on teaching to the test. This is despite recommendations by OFSTED that while à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦some schools are able to prepare pupils for tests without sacrificing the wider curriculumà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦but an emphasis on the core subjects limits what pupils do, particularly as teachers prepare them for key stage 2 exams (Marley 2008) As well as placing pressure upon teachers, national testing has a huge impact on pupils. It can cause a lack of motivation for lower ability children, as well as a view of learning as product rather than process for all children. There is much attention focussed on those children who are performing just beneath age related levels, while those who are either too far above or below the target level suffering a lack of attention. For my son, and for most 10-year olds in the country, the next nine months will be à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦a sterile, narrow and meaningless exercise in drilling and cramming. Its nothing to do with the skills of his teacher who seems outstanding. Nor do I blame the school. Its called preparing for Key Stage 2 SATS (2006) It is clear that the emphasis has to be placed back on teaching rather than targets and tests. How then do we ensure the progress and attainment of the children in our schools without narrowing the curriculum? Assessing pupil progress (APP) has been accepted as recognising the differing purposes and audiences for assessment on both a day-to-day and periodic time scale. On a day-to-day capacity it provides a closer view of pupils, enabling teachers to support childrens learning through use of effective classroom intervention. Periodically it reviews a broader range of pupils work, which in turn can inform planning and enable teachers to monitor progress and attainment. The purpose of APP is to support effective planning; teaching and learning, The use of informed and consistent target setting will continue to play a crucial part in ensuring that teachers know what to teach to allow children to achieve their aims by guiding and challenging them. In my base school APP is used to support this aim, ensuring that targets are both appropriate and relevant to individuals. Similarly APP can be used to identify gaps in a pupils learning, allowing teachers to reflect upon their own teaching, especial ly in those cases where there are common mistakes and misconceptions on the part of the pupils. APP also reinforces Assessment for Learning (AfL) as a daily occurrence, leading to a more constructive impact on teaching and learning. In national guidance there is an increasing emphasis on the role of APP in tracking and recording performance. Whilst most schools recognise the opportunities to increase their teacher assessments consistency and reliability, it will take time for APP to become second nature to staff. However, the overarching aim of APP is clear it aims to enable us to recognize and celebrate overall progress in an aspect of learning, rather than just assessing learning of the most recently taught and learned. (Q 12 13 26a) As well as internal methods of assessment, schools have access to national and local data in forms of the raiseonline and national and local benchmarking data. This enables schools to pinpoint how well they are doing and any improvements they could and should make. Schools can make comparisons, not only on a national level but also against schools with similar levels of deprivation (eligibility for free school meals) or schools with similar levels of contextual value added. Supporting all schools improvement processes by providing a variety of methods to analyse their performance data as part of the self evaluation form (SEF). It is necessary however to interpret benchmarking data with care as rather than providing schools with the answers it is more likely that it would help them identify questions and issues that may need to be investigated. Whilst comparing data between schools may give accurate portrayals of a schools performance, it does not necessarily account for it. (Q 13) It is my opinion, after research and school based observations, that a successful assessment is an open one, where everyone involved, from staff to pupils are aware to some extent of what and how evidence is to be assessed. It is essential that we are completely transparent about the need for and purpose of assessment and why it is carried out in particular ways. Feedback to pupils is key in formative assessment, as it is only by showing pupils the steps they need to take in order to reach the next steps in their learning that we as teachers can bring about learning. While we cannot learn for the students, we can use feedback to make adjustments to our planning and teaching, enabling students to access the curriculum with all the tools they require. Even the very youngest pupils can be given some explanation of the assessment process, which in turns enables children to both self and peer assess. Self and peer assessment includes pupil involvement in both setting the success criteria and how they will show that they have been successful, empowering them to take control of their own learning. There are huge advantages to this type of assessment, the most significant of which are that it develops lifelong evaluation skills whilst supporting independent learning increases pupil motivation by involving them in the assessment process treats assessment as part of learning, so mistakes are seen as opportunities rather than a sign of failure. reduces the amount of teacher assessment but improves the quality. In my base school I have observed a number of self and peer assessment strategies including children marking each others work, the use of a traffic lighting system, suggesting improvements to each others work and reflecting upon their own. Of course there are possible issues surrounding the use of peer and self assessment, with many believing that it should be used only for formative assessment as it is possible that children may allow friendships to affect their objectivity. It is necessary that teachers use peer and self assessment to support their own assessment, teaching and planning rather that relying upon it completely. (Q 28) Through my reading and observations during my time in school, it has become clear to me that there is no part of interaction which is not assessed. Though this may not seem manageable, the variation of assessment strategies that I have witnessed, I have come to the realisation that assessment does not always have to have a written outcome. Instead, it suggests to me that assessment can bring about conscious teaching and informed planning. My developing understanding of a range of assessment strategies including APP, self and peer assessment , AfL among others, will enable me to use day-to-day assessment to provide the pupils in my care with instant feedback, relevant next steps, appropriate support and individual targets, allowing me to adjust my planning in line with the needs of those in my care. (Q 26a, 12, 13, 19) Although I believe that some form of summative assessment is necessary in schools, I believe that on many occasions grades, marks and levels are assigned to pupils work more often than strictly necessary when it may be more appropriate to provide formative feedback. This is something I intend to avoid in my own practice, especially as I have experienced the use of excellent formative assessment in my base school. I have found that feedback given in this way to inform a target is highly effective in motivating pupils, and goes some way towards personalising learning. Furthermore it builds confidence and the long-term aim of helping children to become independent learners. It is essential then, to ensure good teaching and learning, that assessment involves a great deal more than just testing. It should be a continuing process that encompasses many activities, both formal and informal, designed to monitor and improve teaching and in turn the bringing about of learning across all areas o f the curriculum.(Q22, 25a) Teaching will inevitably be focused on what s assessed. When conducted by testing this impact is bound to have a narrowing effect on what is taught because tests only sample the learning outcomes and include those outcomes more easily assessed by tests. If teachers use a much wider range of assessment methods, the result can be much more positive.

Katherine Ann Porters The Jilting of Granny Weatherall :: The Jilting of Granny Weatherall

Katherine Ann Porter's The Jilting of Granny Weatherall â€Å"The Jilting of Granny Weatherall,† a short story by Katherine Anne Porter, describes the last thoughts, feelings, and memories of an elderly woman. As Granny Weatherall’s life literally â€Å"flashes† before her eyes, the importance of the title of the story becomes obvious. Granny Weatherall has been in some way deceived or disappointed in every love relationship of her life. Her past lover George, husband John, daughter Cornelia, and God each did an injustice to Granny Weatherall. Granny faces her last moments of life with a mixture of strength, bitterness, and fear. Granny gained her strength from the people that she felt jilted by. George stood Granny up at the altar and it is never stated that she heard from him again. The pain forced Granny to be strong. In "The Jilting of Granny Weatherall," there are two themes. The first is self-pity. The second theme is the acceptance of her death. Both deal with the way people perceive their deaths and mortality in general. Granny Weatherall's behavior is Porter's tool for making these themes visible to the reader. The theme of self-pity is obvious and thoroughly explored early on. As a young lady, Granny Weatherall was left at the altar on her wedding day. As a result, the pathetic woman feels sorry for herself for the rest of her life. She becomes a bitter old woman who is suspicious of everyone around her. This point is shown early in the story when the do Granny Weatherall, the main character in Katherine Anne Porter's The Jilting of Granny Weatherall, is an 80-year-old elderly woman who is at the doorstep of death. There is a sense of disillusionment with Granny that leads readers to develop their own interpretation of her relationship with Cornelia, her daughter As the narrator, Granny unk nowingly would paint the picture of Cornelia as nuisance and bothersome. In fact, the reader can rationalize that it is just Cornelia's concern for an ailing mother that creates the situation of her seemingly being there all the time. Granny is having mental flashbacks as death approaches like "a fog rose over the valley" (1296). Granny recalls events throughout her life, from being left at the altar on her wedding day, to losing a child, to coming to grips with her own death as the story reaches a close. All of these recollections and the realization of her death bring together the great ironies of the story, ironies which cause not one but two jiltings for Granny.

Model Summary “Computers and the Pursuit of Happiness” Essay

In his article â€Å"Computers and the Pursuit of Happiness,† David Gelernter examines the impact of computers in the life of mankind. He addresses three questions: whether computers and the internet started a new information age, whether computers have been good for the human race, and whether they will have a positive impact in the next half century. For the first question, Gelernter’s answer is â€Å"no’ because, according to him, computers haven’t reduced our basic needs for things such as food, clothing, shelter and one another, nor has it decreased our need for physical stuff. He looks at the three arguments that people who claim that we are in a new information age make: we have new machines that can create, store and deliver information, that computer networks have conquered geography and that these are intelligent machines. He contradicts all three claims. First, he says computers are only the latest in a series of inventions that started us in the information age in the early 20th century. Second, mankind had already started to conquer distance through infrastructure and technology. Finally, there had been many other intelligent machines before computers such as the thermostat, the electrical system in a car, flying machines, radio, TV, electricity and so on. However, he concedes that computers have had a big impact in science and engineering since it is cheaper and more efficient to use computational models in research in those fields. Next, Gelernter addresses the question whether computers have been good for mankind. He contends that if human beings are poor or ignorant, they need more wealth and information. In this country, most people are above the threshold of poverty and ignorance; hence, what computers bring into their life doesn’t matter much except while people are in the process of acquiring more wealth and information. Despite the wealth and information computers have generated, human happiness hasn’t increased on the whole. Although technology does change social structures, the important question is whether those new social structures are better than the old ones. Gelernter says it is impossible to compare the two because the new ones have more â€Å"machine ingredients† whereas the old ones had more â€Å"human ingredients†. Finally, to the question whether computers will benefit human race in the next half-century, Gelernter responds by saying that computers and software are bringing in new possibilities and structures. Online schools make it possible for lessons to be presented and learned in ways that would not be possible otherwise. Although he would prefer face-to-face teaching by live teachers, he thinks due to the state of affairs in the American school system, software based teaching seems like the best hope. Gelernter concludes the article by saying that computers may be stronger, faster and more intelligent than humans, but the uniqueness of mankind â€Å"lie beyond strength, speed and intellect† and he hopes in the future computer technology will show us how human beings can build extraordinary machines and, ultimately, how meaningless these machines are.

The Emergence of International Human Rights essays

The Emergence of International Human Rights essays Recent developments in international politics, which have both ceased and contributed to shaping prevalent, universalized norms, are of significant importance, upon the pursuit of the study of human rights in an international context. Especially as a result of world wars experiences and in the euphoria of the uncertainty after the Cold War, the establishment of international human rights became inevitable, but the recent political developments and the anarchic nature of international, national system challenged the international human rights regime. The main goal of this thesis is to show how difficult it is to establish an international human rights regime in a realist world which is basically run by realist rules of the game. To begin with, the issue of Human Rights has occupied the international agenda for a long time, and naturally international relations literature has discussed this issue from different perspectives. One of the most important perspectives has been the analysis of Human Rights from International Regime perspective which indeed could hardly find its place in the international politics that by nature and by definition is anarchic meaning the absence of an international government, i.e. the absence of international regime. In spite of that fact, the scholars have not ignored the issue and it has been discussed and to a certain extent the international human rights regime has been able to be applied and implemented in the world politics, for example, the European Convention on Human Rights which came to the agenda that grew them out of the devastation of Second World War. Indeed, The European Convention on Human Rights has its roots in the philosophical tradition of universal rights, whic h stretches back to the Enlightenment of the 18th century and the French Revolution. But the actual catalyst for creating a model set of rights in the 20th century was the Allies' determination to bring peace to Europe. The first i...

Using Blooms Taxonomy for Effective Learning

Using Bloom's Taxonomy for Effective Learning The hierarchy of Blooms Taxonomy is the widely accepted framework through which all teachers should guide their students through the cognitive learning process. In other words, teachers use this framework to focus on higher order thinking skills. You can think of Blooms Taxonomy as a pyramid, with simple knowledge-based recall questions at the base. Building up through this foundation, you can ask your students increasingly challenging questions to test their comprehension of a given material. Utility By asking these critical thinking questions or higher order questions, you are developing all levels of thinking. Students will have improved attention to detail, as well as an increase in their comprehension and problem-solving skills. Levels There are six levels in the framework, here is a brief look at each of them and a few examples of the questions that you would ask for each component. Knowledge: In this level students are asked questions to see if they have gained insight from the lesson. (What is... Where is... How would you describe?)Comprehension: During this level, students will be asked to interpret facts that they learned. (What is the main idea... How would you summarize?)Application: Questions asked during this level are meant to have students apply or use the knowledge learned during the lesson. (How would you use... How would you solve?)Analysis:Â  In the analysis level, students will be required to go beyond knowledge and see if they can analyze a problem. (What is the theme... How would you classify?)Synthesis: During the synthesis level of questioning students are expected to come up with a theory about what they learned or use predictions. (What would happen if... What facts can you compile?)Evaluation: The top level of Blooms Taxonomy is called evaluation. This is where students are expected to assess the information learned and come to a conclusio n about it. (What is your opinion of...how would you evaluate... How would you select... What data was used?) Corresponding Verb Examples Remembering: arrange, define, duplicate, label, list, memorize, name, order, recognize, relate, recall, repeat, reproduce, stateUnderstanding: classify, describe, discuss, explain, express, identify, indicate, locate, recognize, report, restate, review, select, translateApplying: apply, choose, demonstrate, dramatize, employ, illustrate, interpret, operate, practice, schedule, sketch, solve, use, writeAnalyzing: analyze, appraise, calculate, categorize, compare, contrast, criticize, differentiate, discriminate, distinguish, examine, experiment, question, testEvaluating: appraise, argue, assess, attach, choose, compare, defend estimate, judge, predict, rate, core, select, support, value, evaluateCreating: arrange, assemble, collect, compose, construct, create, design, develop, formulate, manage, organize, plan, prepare, propose, set up, write

Memo for accounting Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Memo for accounting - Assignment Example The internal control process assists the Aero management to ensure the reliability of financial reporting and preparation. It also makes sure that the prepared financial statements exhibit a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the company in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. With regard to the efficiency of internal control system, based on the Committee of Sponsoring Organization of the Treadway Commission (COSO)’s criteria, the company claims that its internal control over financial reporting as of 29th January 2011 was effective (annual report). An effective internal control system is considered as the potential strength of any organization as this feature adds value to stakeholder interests. The proxy statement 2011 clearly shows that the Aero has effectively defined the roles of its CEO and chairman. As per the disclosures contained in the proxy statement, the CEO is responsible for dealing with â€Å"general management, oversight, supervision, and control of the business and affairs† of the company (proxy statement). He has also the responsibility to find that the Board’s all orders and resolutions are put into effect. In contrast, the Chairman is assigned for the supervision of the Board meetings and shareholders. In addition, it is the duty of the Chairman to provide appropriate advices to the CEO and other executive officers on various business matters (proxy statement). The separate CEO and chairman structure of the company is very effective, and hence it contributes to the operational efficiency of the Aeropostale, Inc. The interdependent functions of the CEO and the Chairman would aid shareholders to ensure better use of their money. From a detailed study of the report, it is evident that the Aeropostale, Inc has a prosperous future. Aero’s international expansion strategy is the most positive aspect. The company has entered numerous overseas markets over the last decade and it

Black Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Black - Essay Example The leaders of this organization enjoin to its members following of a strict Islamic code of behavior, which covers such issues as interpersonal relations, dress, and diet (Black Muslims, 1). The origins of Black Muslims are found in two black self-improvement movements initiated before the World War I. One of these organizations was the Moorish Science Temple of America, which was founded by Prophet Drew Ali in 1913. Soon after death of Ali in 1929, the movement has been headed by Wallace D. Fard, who has founded a mosque in Detroit in 1930 and thus has set a beginning of the Nation of Islam (Black Muslims, 1). Wallace Fard was also known as Master Farad Muhammad, and called the Great Mahdi, Allah, or God by Black Muslims (Black Muslims, 1). Fard claimed that he was a member of the Quarish tribe to which Prophet Muhammed belonged and called himself â€Å"Asiatic Black man† (Fishman, Eric, and Soage, 60). The second movement which has set the origin of the Black Muslims, was the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) founded by Marcus Garvey in 1914(Black Muslims, 1). Marcus Garvey was a black nationalist born in St. Ann’s Bay, Jamaica (Mugleston, n.p.). UNIA for Garvey was an instrument for racial advancement for the rest of his life (Mugleston, n.p.). The slogan of the movement was â€Å"One Aim, One God, One Destiny†, and appealed to the black American soldiers who came back after serving abroad during WWI to the racist society (Mugleston, n.p.). Adherents to Non Christianity were a group of people, some of whom have made their contribution to the birth of Black Islam. By the mid of 1970s, the total number of Non-Christian Religious Adherents in the US was almost 10% of the total population – 20,789,000 people. Black Muslims were a subcategory of this group and comprised 200,000 people in the mid of 1970s (Infoplease.com, n.p.). The share of Black Muslims among the