Occupy Walstreet and Government Essays - Films, Margin Call, Broker

What would you do? Most people think that in similar situations they would behave differently. The truth is most people would do whatever they had to, to maintain their best interest. In the movie ?Margin Call? the investment bank brokers are faced with a difficult decision. They find out that the company that the work for is about to go under and managers and CEO make the decision to sell the company to other brokers as soon as possible so that they can save themselves. Kevin Spacey?s character is the manager of the Risk management department and seems more interested in the failing health of his dog than the fate of his employees that have been randomly selected to be terminated. Jeremy Irons plays the self absorbed CEO who?s only concern is his own financial stability. Simon Baker?s character is second in command and Demi Moore?s, Stanley Tucci?s character is fired after many years of service. Although he receives a severance package he is understandably upset when he learns that he has lost his job. Before leaving the building he gives Penn Badgley?s character a young broker some sensitive information and tells him that he has been working on it for a while but was unable to finish it and ask him to finish it but warns him to be careful. Because of the information the young broker finds the company his disassembled within twenty four hours. There are several dilemmas in this movie. Some of the dilemmas are obvious, but others are less noticeable. The first is should he tell and if so who should he tell. After spilling the beans he is quickly whisked into a meeting, where he witnesses the decision making process to sell a company because of his discovery. The choices made in the film could be seen as ruthless or necessary. Either way people were going to lose their jobs but the question could be if compromising their integrity and still losing their jobs was the best option. Decisions are often hard to make but in this instance the decisions had more losers than winners. Business minded people may thing the choice to sell before the company was worthless was the right decision, others may feel that people are more. Employees are people; many have families that rely on their income, and their benefits. Though this was a movie it was based on actual events, it had such real elements that it seems plausible that this scenario could have very well have played out in a conference room during the early stages of the housing crisis.

Huntingtons Disease

Huntingtons Disease Free Online Research Papers After examining the effects of the disorder, it is easy to understand what a disease like Huntington’s will to do to an individual’s quality of life. Imagine being 30 years old with a good job, a loving spouse, maybe a couple of kids and an all around pretty good life. Then imagine one day your boss writes you up and sends you home because he/she suspects you of being intoxicated. A person in this situation could, in months and years to come, learn from a simple blood test that he/she is the victim of a genetic disorder called Huntington’s Disease. The ramifications of this illness are endless and affect not only the individual with the disorder but entire families and communities as well. At this time there is no cure or even any significantly effective treatment (Society 2006). However, as with many genetic disorders, research is being done in this day in age that may promise to one day lead us to such treatment or cure. Huntington’s Disease (hereafter called HD) is a degenerative brain disorder that was named in 1872 after Dr. George Huntington who first illustrated its effects. It is estimated that  ¼ million people either have the disease or will develop it in their lifetime. In other words, 1 in 10,000 people will be afflicted. It has been documented to affect as many people worldwide as Hemophilia, Cystic Fibrosis or Muscular Dystrophy (Society 2006). The HD gene is inherited in an autosomal dominant fashion which means that any person who receives the mutated gene will eventually have the disorder. This also means that males and females have an equal chance of inheriting the gene. Also, the gene does not stop at any racial or ethnic boundaries so people are at risk worldwide. The short arm of human chromosome #4 is where the HD gene has been mapped to. It was located in 1993 and offers a definitive test to determine if someone is at risk. The actual mutation is a trinucleotide repeat o f CAG (Cytosine, Adenine, Guanine). The greater the number of repeats, the more severe the disease. In a normal person, there are 35 or fewer CAG repeats. People with 36-39 may or may not be afflicted. Those with 40 or more repeats will almost certainly develop HD (Society 2006). Because HD is a degenerative disease, the effects show up gradually within a person’s phenotype. Since many areas of the brain can be affected, the early symptoms can vary from person to person, and they range from cognitive to motor function to emotional difficulties. Family members or friends may first notice an affected individual exhibiting depression, mood swings, forgetfulness, clumsiness, involuntary twitching and social withdrawal. As the disease progresses, one might lose his capacity to concentrate and remember things in the short term. Extreme irritability, loss of organization, slurred speech and problems with swallowing and walking are also severe symptoms of HD. Eventually, a person with the disease will need constant care (Society 2006). The age of onset is pretty standard for HD. Most individuals first exhibit signs between 30 and 45 years of age. Generally people live 10 to 25 years after learning they are affected. Because of the effects of HD, most people don’t die specifically from the disease but rather from choking, pneumonia or heart failure once they are severely incapacitated. Since there is not yet any form of treatment, early diagnosis would not make a difference for those with HD. In fact, some people who know they may be at risk elect not to be tested (Society 2006). Although the outlook for people today with HD may look grim, significant research into treatments is underway. Some modes of therapy available today are botox injections used to calm involuntary twitching in facial muscles as well as occupational and physical therapy to offset motor function problems and speech therapy for those who find it hard to communicate (Society 2006). As far as pending research is concerned, the Huntington’s disease Society of America (HDSA) is one of the leading groups who are pioneering new ways to look at the genomic and molecular levels of HD. Some areas of their research include examination of: 1) the energy needed in the cell mitochondria of HD patients, 2) the folding of the huntingtin protein (the protein expressed by the area of chromosome 4 linked to the disease) and how it makes the cell unable to dispose of the mutated strain, and 3) the way huntingtin works in normal people versus the affected with the mutated huntingtin protein (Society 2 006). A fairly recent and exciting discovery of doctors associated with HDSA suggests a correlation between degenerative diseases like Huntington’s and cancer. Although they might seem very different at first glance because cancer is characterized by cells that divide too rapidly while HD causes neurons (which aren’t designed to divide) to die, new research shows that the same signal that causes these cancer cells to divide may make brain cells degrade (Marker 2005). Yet another possible similarity between cancer and HD involves p53, a tumor suppressor that is created by the body which regulates cell division. In a person with cancer, this tumor suppressor is mutated and allows cells to divide uncontrollably. Some scientists believe that the mutated huntingtin protein could actually over activate p53 and cause brain cells in affected people to slowly die (Marker 2005). The last piece of research to be discussed here are the recent findings of Dr. Robert Friedlander. He found that a certain enzyme created in the body called caspase-1 which kills off mutated cells in a normal human being may be over activated in HD patients causing the enzyme to kill healthy brain cells (Association 2006). Dr. Friedlander found that he could diminish the function of caspase-1with an antibiotic called Minocycline, and in turn he could delay the onset and the progression of the effects of HD in mice (Chen 2000). As one can see, Huntington’s is a truly debilitating and emotionally straining disease. It affects people across the globe in every portion of their daily life. Not unlike many diseases today such as Parkinson’s, afflicted people become 100% dependent on loved ones or medical professionals for activities of daily living once they have progressed to the final stages of HD. We can only hope that some of the research outlined in this paper, or possibly scientific breakthroughs to come, might one day lead to successful treatment. Research Papers on Huntington's DiseaseGenetic EngineeringThe Masque of the Red Death Room meaningsCapital PunishmentThree Concepts of PsychodynamicMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever ProductIncorporating Risk and Uncertainty Factor in CapitalPersonal Experience with Teen PregnancyAssess the importance of Nationalism 1815-1850 EuropeEffects of Television Violence on Children19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided Era

Marketing Strategy Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4250 words

Marketing Strategy - Term Paper Example This will help the company in bringing together all the basics of marketing for the purpose of ensuring that the objective of the promotion; that is entering a new market of the new innovation is achieved. Introduction The first iMac was the earliest legacy-free PC. The original iMac was the first ever Macintosh computer not to have the FDD and to be fitted with a USB port. All the Macs have consequently fitted it. Through the USB port, we find that the makers of hardware could produce items that compatible with both the Macs and the x86. Initially, the users of Macintosh were forced to look for particular hardware, like the mice and keyboards that were specially designed for the ‘old world’ the exclusive ADB interface and modems together with printers with the LocalTalk ports of the Mac. Only a small number of the models from particular producers or companies came with these interfaces, and usually and often went at a premium price. Being cross-platform, we find that th e USB has enabled the users of Macintosh to choose from a large variety of devices that are promoted for Wintel PC platform, like storage devices, mice, canners, USB flash drives and hubs. As the USB was slower compared to many ports present at the time like the SCSI, iBooks, and the unmodified iMacs were seriously crippled until sufficient replacements like the USB 2.0 and FireWire were standardized. However, after iMac, the company continued removing the older floppy drives together with peripheral interfaces from its remaining product line (Carroll, 2011). Borrowing from the 20th Anniversary Macintosh of 1997, the different iMacs designs that are LCD-based maintained the all-in-one idea first envisaged in the original Macintosh computer of the company. Nevertheless, the successful iMac enabled the company to continue with its targeting of the Power Macintosh line at the market’s high-end. This prefigured the same concept in the notebook market when the iBook that looks lik e the iMac was launched in the year 1999. However, since then, Apple has maintained this concept of consumer differentiation against the professional product lines (Sculley, 2009). The focus of the company on design has enabled all of its consequent products to establish a distinct identity. The company avoided the use of the beige colors that were pervading the industry at that time. Apple would later shift from the multihued designs of the late 1990s and the early 2000s. However, the later part of the twenty first century’s first decade saw the company applying the anodized aluminum and black, white, and the clear polycarbonate plastics. Several PCs currently, are more design-conscious compared to the period before the introduction of the iMac, with the multi-shaded schemes of design being widespread, and some laptops together with desktops present in multicolored, and decorative or pretty patterns (Frank, 2010, p52). The campaign is to be carried out in the United States a nd in countries all over the world. The time frame for theses objectives to be achieved will be twenty four months. As the company works towards the introduction of upgraded and newer products, adjustments and refinements may need to be undertaken. However, the most important thing is maintaining consistency. Moreover, since both objectives are based on one another, the company should primarily focus on putting emphasis or stress on the extensibility message in attempting to speed understanding to the idea or concept of digital lifestyle

History of the Vietnam Wars Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

History of the Vietnam Wars - Essay Example eneva, in which Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam received their independence and Vietnam was temporarily divided between an anti-Communist South and a Communist North. In 1956, South Vietnam, with American backing, refused to hold the unification elections† (Learn about the Vietnam War, 2010). It is difficult to understand what the French and the Americans tried to achieve. If they felt they could impose their might through superior military prowess, they had difficult time proving it in the marshy soil of tropical Vietnam. In the first place, the military preparation was nothing short of disaster. The huge pile of weapons stocked by the French and the Americans was of little avail to the Vietnamese. The weapons only served to aggravate or spoil things for the French and the Americans by adverse reactions from their own homelands. Nothing much is known about adverse public reaction to the Indo-China war in France. The protests were largely muted and it was left to the politicians to take action as they deemed fit. The French defeat in Dien Bien Phu was a substantial eye-opener to the French government and they did not waste time in tactfully concluding the war with a peace conference in Geneva. The Americans were, however, more noisy. In the United States, opposition to the war was vociferous. As the years progressed, the media was pregnant with news of public protests and atrocities committed on American soldiers. Politically, both President Johnson and President Nixon faced angry crowds swearing by anti-war statements. The American Presidents were sensitive to adverse political decisions and had no idea the chaotic situation at home might cause in the present or in the future. In the latter years of President Nixon, he was too caught up with the Watergate scandal to think clearly on issues with regard to Vietnam. His frustrations compounded issues and the failure of the Americans in the Vietnam was the result of political wrangles that only added to the

Information Communication Technology ICT Has Revolutionized Education Essay

Information Communication Technology ICT Has Revolutionized Education Essay In the following Research, the main aim is to investigate the Advantages and Disadvantages of Using Information communication Technology in Teaching English Pronunciation to Students of the Modern Language Program at Universidad Autà ³noma de Santo Domingo in which the participants of the learning process would obtain when the facilitators incorporate new aids into the process of teaching. We are going to focus our investigation in the effects of using information communication technology (ICT) in Teaching English Pronunciation to Students of the Modern Language Program at Universidad Autà ³noma de Santo Domingo. The reasons for this investigation are: To identify the Technology of information that the Language School provides to the facilitators, to point out the common mistakes students make when pronouncing in the target language, to determine the advantages and disadvantages that Technology of information offers to Students and to suggest the usage of Technology of information at the Language School. According to our objectives if teachers put into practice these technological aids in their programs and the advantages that those aids could have for the benefit of students and teachers too. As matter of fact, this research would help students as well as teachers to be more connected and more collaborative in a world that is constantly changing, is more creative and very demanding. Nowadays it is not a matter of getting good grades by the part of the students, but to be engaged and achieve high standards of excellence in order to be able to compete later on with increasing digital learners who have already acquired technology, and this technology has become a tool in their daily life activities. Thats why those digital learners around the world are nowadays more aware of what is happening in their surroundings because technology has revolutionized our lives, as Pope Benedict XVI said on January 25th, These (new digital) Technologies are truly a gift to humanity and we must endeavor to ensure that the benefits they offer are put at the service of all human individuals and communities, especially those who are most disadvantaged and vulnerable. (2009) . Hypothesis The Students who use ICTs in English Pronunciation acquire a better proficiency that the students who dont use them. Statement of the Problem Despite the progress that has been made to develop effective methods for the instruction of a second language such as, brainstorming, guest speaker, report-back sessions, role playing, case studies, small group discussions all of this are still focus in a classroom based learning environment. A great number of students feel insecure when it comes to carry out a conversation in English. The traditional methods are not focusing enough in teaching pronunciation to students; as a consequence many students are not able to fulfill the requirements of an appropriate pronunciation once they have finished the whole program. Students are not prepared enough to deal with the challenges posed by an increasingly competitive society. It is required to come up with new strategies and ways in order to give effective response to the exigencies of the world. It is strongly necessary to provide the learner with the level of competence and pronunciation is definitely one of the most important aspects to be taken into consideration. A great number of facilitators are not willing to break the paradigms and implement new teaching aids in their teaching programs which would help students to improve their proficiency and at the same time their performance at any given time. As a consequence, a great number of students, once they have finished the whole program are not able to fulfill the requirements and they cannot vie with other professionals in the same field just because they were not taught according to the new standards in Education. Justification We decided to lead this research because we have noticed that the use of Information communication Technology (ICT) in Teaching English Pronunciation has become a new trend around the world and we have noticed that those technological resources will empower students for a more effective pronunciation performance. As a matter of fact, we have observed that the language school really needs to make some progress in this aspect and offers a standard education program according to the needs of the global community. The world is constantly changing and ICT has become part of it. It has engaged great part of human activities, work, science, health, and education can ´t be apart from it. Information Communication Technology (ICT) offers new paradigms and patterns for teaching. The new generation is demanding for students to be incorporated, to foster the use of Information Communication Technology (ICT). We have perceived that there is a gap in the bridge of the teaching process, so it has been required to integrate ICT in order to fulfill the exigencies of the modern curriculum. The decision of conducting this research is because Pronunciation is essential in a language learner and we have noticed that ICT can empower students for a more effective pronunciation performance at Universidad Autà ³noma de Santo Domingo. Pronunciation is of core significance because it is important to be understood by others when speaking. Purpose To determine the advantages and disadvantages of Using ICT in Teaching English Pronunciation to Students of the Modern Language Program at Universidad Autà ³noma de Santo Domingo and to foster facilitators to apply this new approach to their teaching process, so that they can contribute in the development of students knowledge more effectively. Significance We consider essential to develop this research because we have noticed that the use of Information Communication Technology at Universidad Autà ³noma de Santo Domingo in order to teach English pronunciation in the whole English program is not reasonably competent. The main sources to teach such important skill are only the chalk, board and radio if it is used. While other undergraduate institutions are quite ahead in the use of technological resources such as TV, radio, slides in PowerPoint, online courses and labs. Consequently, with this research we want to highlight the importance of using these sources so that the corresponding authorities can take this into account and to allot funds to implement these core techniques. Objectives General objective To determine the effects of the use of Information Communication Technology (ICT) in teaching English Pronunciation to Students of the Modern Language Program at Universidad Autà ³noma de Santo Domingo. Specific objectives 1. To identify the age and sex of the population under studied. 2. To identify the Technology of information that the Language School provides to facilitators. 3. To point out the common mistakes students make when pronouncing. 4. To determine the advantages and disadvantages that information Technology offers to Students. 5. To suggest the usage of Technology of information at the Language School. 6. To determine the attitude of the facilitators and students toward the use or implementation of ICT in the teaching process. Research question What are the advantages Modern Languages Students majoring in English at Universidad Autà ³noma de Santo Domingo obtain by using ICT in acquiring English Pronunciation over the ones who do not use these Technological tools? Scope of the Topic We are going to limit our research to the effects of the use of Information Communication Technology (ICT) in teaching English Pronunciation to Students of the Modern Language Program at Universidad Autà ³noma de Santo Domingo. In the 2012-2 semester when this investigation will be performed at Universidad Autà ³noma de Santo Domingo. We will take into consideration the limitation that Universidad Autà ³noma de Santo Domingo Modern Languages School is going through with a minimum budget intended to technological sources. Definition of Terms Universidad Autà ³noma de Santo Domingo: It is a public university located in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. It was founded in 1538. Currently, the university holds eight schools which are: Engineering, Arts, Humanities, Economic and Social Sciences, Health Sciences, Architecture, Agriculture Sciences, and Law and Political Sciences . ICT: These acronyms stand for Information Communications Technology or Information and Communication Technology, usually abbreviated as ICT, is often used as an extended synonym for information technology (IT), but is usually a more general term that stresses the role of unified communications, and the integration of telecommunications (telephone lines and wireless signals), computers, middleware as well as necessary software, storage, and audio-visual systems, which enable users to create, access, store, transmit, and manipulate information. In other words, ICT consists of IT as well as telecommunication, broadcast media, all types of audio and video processing and transmission and network based control and monitoring functions . Pronunciation: It is the way in which a language or a particular word or sound is pronounced . Student: A student is a learner, or someone who attends an educational institution. Language School: Is a department belonging to the Humanity Faculty founded in July 1957 which offers two careers, Modern language major in English and Modern language major in French . Antecedents In our research paper about the Effects of using Information Communication Technology (ICT) in Teaching English Pronunciation to Students of the Modern Language Program at Universidad Autà ³noma de Santo Domingo. We found out that many investigators have been talking about this topic since twenty years ago General Overview In this chapter, we detail the history of computer and internet which are the main focus of our investigation. It starts with the cave drawings 30,000 years ago and continues with the advances of mathematics and science which helped to develop what we know today as computer and internet. After that, we describe how these tools were incorporated in education and the conclusions of different studies about the use of technology in the teaching and learning process. The world keeps on changing with every rotation it makes round the sun. Just a decade ago, students were taught with pens, pencils, black boards, notebooks, and chalks. But nowadays, all that have become history which no one wishes to remember. Light pens and boards, PDF notes, CD rooms have been replaced, and even as you are reading this, the world is advancing rapidly with respect to ICT technology as even computers and laptops are gradually leaving the scene for new technological devices, such as IPods, cell phones, headsets, etc. In consideration of these developments, it becomes imperative for the wise teacher to instill knowledge in students of this dispensation, utilizing fully, the facilities and opportunities availed by ICT Technology to pedagogy. This is because if teachers dont, not only will the students continue to find it difficult to assimilate (having been acclimatized to the easy-ICT world). Hence, it is unequivocal to state that every teacher needs to pull in ICT into their curriculum and methodology, or lose the interest of the 21st century student. Putting this into consideration, below is the history of ICT that for everybodys good it has increased the effectiveness of education in English pronunciation and other disciplines. History of ICT More than two decades ago, information communication technology (ICT) has been being used in schools around the world. The objective of introducing these technological resources has been to enhance and satisfy the huge demand of new generations. Due to the great increase of technology and the innovation of the World Wide Web (Internet) in 1980, schools and universities noticed the importance of information communication technology (ICT) to increase their students abilities and competence in this new digital era. Certain advances have been made in the educational system to provide students with personalized tools in order for them to fulfill their current needs. As Sunkel G. said the general perception has been that they would increase levels of educational attainment by introducing changes in teaching and learning processes and strategies, adapting to the needs of the individual students (Sunkel, 2006) . Information Communication Technology (ICT) at the beginning was not designed for educational purposes; however, after discovering its great effectiveness in different fields and in daily activities it has been transferred to the educational field. According to Watsons (2001), ICT have revolutionized the way people work today and are now transforming education systems. This is the reason why information communication technology is gaining ground in todays world . Everything started 30,000 years ago B.C in the Paleolithic Era, information communication technology started with the cave drawings near France and Spain as the first manifestation of communication among different groups of people. These drawings were painted for the purpose of art Work, and created as meaningful part of religious ceremonies; this was a meaningful advance in the history of ICT . In 510 B.C, Pythagoras a Greek citizen founded an academy where he used to teach mathematics and physics; he came up with one of his masterpiece the Pythagoras theorem that later on helped in the development of mathematics and in daily life activities but his teachings and speeches were in an oral way because at that period of time no advances were made in order to capture his teachings. As matter of fact written communication has always been important for the development of communication, the most important records are written on paper thats why China noticed the necessity and made an important contribution to humanity with the invention of the paper. According to (Twede, D. 2005) paper as we know is originated in china in 105 A.D. the earliest process known is attributed to Ts ai Lun. The manuscript transcription in 382 was an important step on the development of written communication . They were written as a way of transmitting beliefs, stories or knowledge to futures generations and cultures, they recorded the most important aspects of that era where only oral communication was used . Later on Johannes Gutenberg a German inventor introduced the Printing Press to Europe in 1450, he was the first man to use a movable type and suddenly change the history, and until that time monks and academics had the opportunity to acquire the information and were the only empowered to spread the knowledge. From that moment on more and more common people were able to buy books and also acquire information and teach their kids at home. One of Gutenbergs pieces of art was the first bible printed on a movable type also known as the 42-line Bible . In 1600 Public Education was a big step in North American society thanks to the advances that were made throughout time; it was a huge leap for the development of humanity because it gave equal rights to each person to acquire at least a decent education. The first public school in the American colonies was the Boston Latin School, students studied Latin and Greek and the elementary subjects like (Lecture, writing, reading) so forth and so on . A year later in 1700 marked the beginning of a new revolution in the teaching field because some of the first low tech devices were introduced to the teaching process as an example of these were the black board a great innovation for teachers in order to show students in a visual way what they were saying, also the chalk board slates or (writing slates) was another device that even today is very useful for divers in order to communicate under water. In 1700 a slate was very useful in school in order to practice math exercises. In 1800 Books or as Robert Darnton called them in his book What is the History of Books the social and cultural history of communication by print, were introduced for the first time in the teaching field as an innovation . Audiovisual Age Education has developed rapidly with the introduction of technology and the audiovisual resources to the teaching learning process. The audiovisual age started with the invention of the film and the sound recording in 1910. (Comenius 1632) lessons should proceed from easy to complex at a slow and deliberate pace; acquisition of new material began through the senses . The beginning of the audiovisual age marked the parameters of a new platform in the education field it was focused in the implementation of new ways of communication for example the radio created in 1910 is considered the first mass media, (Spiker 1996) radio connects individuals across geographical, cultural, and political devices. It was immediately introduced into education through special children programs to develop their listening and speaking skills, as soon as these programs become popular the radio started increasing its production . Another advance into education was the film strip projector in 1930; it was implemented in the educational system to display in the classroom frames of a strip on which images were printed, in this way students could visualized what they were been taught for their teachers. Likewise the filmstrip projector the overhead projector in 1940 was introduced to the classroom facilitating the interactive environment for teachers and students, because of the easy way teachers can prepare lectures and students can prepare notes before a lesson. Information Age (1960) The information age started in the latter part of the twentieth Century and the beginning of the twenty- first Century with new and challenging advances that demanded more from users as David S. Alberts and Daniel S. Papp stated in their book Complexity and change are the two defining characteristics of the Information Age. Our successes as individuals, families, organizations, communities, and societies will depend more than ever upon our abilities to adapt, in near real time . in this particular period of time appeared some of the most outstanding Technologies of all times for example: Television was one of the most remarkable inventions during the Information age, built 1960 by several people at first moment to entertain population but little by little was introduced as a great device for teaching purposes. Ten years later in 1970, videocassette recorder (VCR) and video home system (VHS) tapes were the new booms in the 70s because with these new devices you could record and play back peoples favorite TV programs. U-Matic was one of the first VHS tapes introduced by Sonic in 1971 to consumers and also for teaching purposes, it was very ground-breaking because in that way students for the first time had access to authentic recorded material which they could review over once and once again . In the 80s the audiotape came as the radios complement for teachers to replay or record authentic materials that later on were destined for teaching purposes; in those years audiotapes were very popular for the listening skill. Computer Age (1990) According to TechEncyclopedia (2002) computer is a general-purpose machine that processes data according to a set of instructions that are stored internally either temporarily or permanently . computers were conceived from arduous years of investigation and failures. Two of the most outstanding pioneers among others in the Mechanical Era of computers (1623-1945) were Blaise Pascal and Charles Babbage, Blaise a mathematician with the help of other colleagues designed a calculator that was able to add, subtract, multiply and divide. On its side Charles Babbage probably designed the first multi-purpose or programmable computing device in 1823 but never completed. To get to the computer age or the age where computer was first introduced to education that means 1990 many things had to happen, in order to mention some of these events for example; First Generation Electronic Computers (1937-1953), Second Generation (1954-1962), Third Generation (1963-1972), Fourth Generation (1972-1984), Fi fth Generation (1984-1990) in the fifth generation computers were more manageable and achieved a high superiority in processing besides they were more stable than their first prototypes. Computers were introduced as tool in order to help teachers perform more difficult tasks and also to present authentic materials to students for them to be competitive in a more demanding world. 1995 The Digital Age 1995 Information Exchange 2000 The Interactive Age The Role of ICT in Education The increasing presence of technology in all areas of human life leads to consider technology as an element of extraordinary importance in our society. Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) are the cultural and technological events of great scope and expansion of the recent centuries, they are present in all areas of human life, and education is not excluded from this process. They were implemented in the educational systems in the early nineties, since then they have provided access to a great amount of information (Wagner et al 2005) says that  ´Ã‚ ´ICTs ´Ã‚ ´ are currently being used widely to aid education in many developing countries, and it appears that there is an increasing demand for their use in education by policymakers and parents in developing countries . The integration of ICT in education has become a priority in developing countries, because digital technologies can enhance the teaching process through innovation in teaching materials and teaching methods making more effective the learning process. Also because the challenges of education are increasing and requiring an effective learning with the implementation of new instructional strategies, according to students ´ needs. ICTs have had a major impact on education; some of these impacts are related to the need to make a change in education ´s methodology, and in its teaching-learning purpose. It is that a new methodology is required to introduce the technology in the academic field, thus achieving the transformation of educational system. ICTs have provided the educational field new pedagogical possibilities, expanding the resources of acquiring new knowledge. With the incorporation of ICT by students and teachers in the teaching-learning process is facilitated the collaborative learning due to ICT provides learners and professors tools such as chat, email, blogs etc. Which motivate the active participation in the classroom. According to Buckingham D. in his Handbook of New Media: Students Edition expressed that computers bring about new forms of learning which transcend the limitations of older methods, particularly linear methods such as print and television, and it is children who are seen to be most responsive to these new approaches: the computer somehow releases their natural creativity and desire to learn, which are apparently blocked and frustrated by old-fashioned methods . With the incorporation of computers, projectors, Internet, into the teaching-learning process it is noticeable the motivation students feel when they use them because they are projected to improve the quality of education through the diversification of contents and methods, promoting experimentation, innovation and learning stimulation. Since ICTs were introduced into the educational field they have given a new approach for those teachers who based their classes only on the green board practices and scheduled classes year after year following a monotonous curriculum. As ICTs enter the socio-cultural setting of schools, they may trigger changes in the activities, curriculum and interpersonal relationship in the learning environment, and is reciprocally affected by the changes they cause (Demiralslan and Usluel, 2008) . The use of ICTs into education look for changing old patterns of teaching focusing primarily on students in an interactive environment for learning encouraging motivation and communication methods; allowing students a greater autonomy in learning, in addition to overcoming the barriers of time and space. The rapid use of ICT in the education system makes expectations to grow about the potential of ICT and its contribution to improving the teaching learning process. ICTs have brought significant changes in our lives and especially in the education. Many schools and universities have been associated with these changes offered by technology and integrated them into its educational system to implement the changes required by the contemporary world. New tools, technologies, and skills allow innovations to be introduced to the teaching-learning process and education to continue the rapid advances and progress exposing students to new technological challenges. Advantages and Disadvantages of ICT Digital devide Advantages ICT Help to better prepare students for the constantly grow of technology. One of the most important reasons for using ICTs in the classroom has been to better prepare the current generation of students where ICTs, particularly computers, the Internet and related technologies, are becoming more and more ubiquitous:  Ã‚ ¶ Greater efficiency throughout the school.  Ã‚ ¶ Communication channels are increased through email, discussion groups and chat rooms  Ã‚ ¶ Regular use of ICT across different curriculum subjects can have a beneficial motivational influence on students learning of pronunciation.  Ã‚ ¶ Students are generally more on task and express more positive feelings when they use computers than when they are given other tasks to do.  Ã‚ ¶ Computer use during lessons motivates students to continue using learning outside school hours.  Ã‚ ¶ Higher quality lessons through greater collaboration between teachers in planning and preparing resources.  Ã‚ ¶ More focused teaching, tailored to students strengths and weaknesses, through better analysis of attainment data  Ã‚ ¶ Improved pastoral care and behavior management through better tracking of students  Ã‚ ¶ Gains in understanding and analytical skills, including improvements in pronunciation.  Ã‚ ¶ Development of writing skills (including spelling, grammar, punctuation, editing and re-drafting), also fluency, originality and elaboration.  Ã‚ ¶ Encouragement of independent and active learning, and self-responsibility for learning.  Ã‚ ¶ Flexibility of anytime, anywhere access (Jacobsen and Kremer, 2000)  Ã‚ ¶ Development of higher level learning styles  Ã‚ ¶ Students who used educational technology in school felt more successful and more motivated to learn and have increased self-confidence and self-esteem  Ã‚ ¶ Students found learning in a technology-enhanced setting more stimulating and student-centered than in a traditional classroom  Ã‚ ¶ Broadband technology supports the reliable and uninterrupted downloading of web-hosted educational multimedia resources  Ã‚ ¶ Opportunities to address their work to an external audience  Ã‚ ¶ Opportunities to collaborate on assignments with people outside or inside school Disadvantages of ICT One of the major barriers for the cause of ICT not reaching its full potential in the foundation stage is teachers attitude. According to Hara (2004), within the early years education attitudes towards ICT can vary considerably. Some see it as a potential tool to aid learning whereas others seem to disagree with the use of technology in early year settings. Blatchford and Whitebread (2003:16), suggests that the use of ICT in the foundation stage is unhealthy and hinders learning. Other early years educators who are opposed to offering ICT experiences within the educational settings take a less extreme view than this and suggest that ICT is fine, but there are other more vital experiences that young children will benefit from, (Blatchford and Whitebread, 2003). In theory some people may have the opinion that the teachers who had not experienced ICT throughout their learning tend to have a negative attitude towards it, as they may lack the training in that area of the curriculum. Another important drawback to using ICT in schools is the fact that computers are expensive. According to the IT learning exchange (2001), in most schools ICT will be the single largest curriculum budget cost. This may be seen as a good thing but on the other hand there will be little money left over for other significant costs. ICT Tools incorporated in the Teaching Process The world that we are living today has turned in a global village because the physical distance existing among humankind is getting closer, and closer due to the technological changes. These changes or technological advances such as the computer and the internet has changed the whole world quite a lot and more when this technological advances are used in education. After the internet invention a lot of websites and software have been created to develop the way people learn languages, giving them, thousands of alternatives no matter how far they are from one another, just by having a computer an Internet connection they can have access to many education sites. In this section we are going to present a series of website used for teaching English and teaching English pronunciation such VoiceThread, Manythings.org, Fonetiks.org, BBC Learning English, Learners TV so forth and so on. These sites are specifically used for teaching, learning English and English pronunciation. VoiceThread in the Classroom VoiceThread is especially beneficial within the classroom. Teachers and students are using VoiceThread as a storytelling tool, a deep thinking tool, a research tool, an expository communication tool, and even an assessment tool (Dyck, 2007). VoiceThread has brought storytelling to the 21st century and allows stories to be shared around the world. VoiceThread is a collaborative, multimedia slide show that holds images, documents, and videos and allows people to leave comments in 5 ways. Through the use of comments, VoiceThread creates an interactive environment in which individuals can share common interests and ideas. It can also be used as an assessment tool for examining others opinions and as a tool for teachers. Businesses, teachers, and students use VoiceThread. It provides a creative outlet for students and encourages the sharing of ideas. But the uses of VoiceThread are not limited to storytelling. VoiceThread has unlimited possibilities in which it can include voice, type, doodling, unlimited slides or just a simple slide. It can include pictures or typed documents. It can be embedded or exported to other destinations and multiple identities can be created under one account. This is great for teachers who can establish one account and have kids use multiple identities to create and comment. VoiceThread can be used to collect information as well by uploading a simple slide and evaluating comments. Not only can VoiceThread be used as a creative outlet but it can also be used to learn more about others experiences and views. VoiceThread makes it possible to examine the thinking of others through pictures, text, doodling, and voice. VoiceThread is an online album that other VoiceThread users can directly comment on using voice, writing, video, and drawing. VoiceThreads can be used to share information, start a discussion, receive feedback, or simply tell a story. The basic VoiceT

Giles Corey :: essays research papers

Giles Corey was a successful farmer and an active member of the Salem church, but this reputable model citizen was not looked lightly upon when the word â€Å"witch† started floating around. In April of 1692, Ann Putnam, Jr., Mercy Lewis, and Abigail Williams pointed a scornful finger at Giles. Ann said that Corey supposedly came to her on the 13th of April and asked her to write in â€Å"the devil’s book.† She later said that a ghost came to her, asking to be avenged against his killer, Giles Corey. Corey and his wife, Martha were good friends of the Porter family. Being great enemies of the Porters, the Putnams saw the Coreys as enemies, and dead enemies seemed much safer than living enemies. Thus, a trial began so as to determine the â€Å"wicked† characteristics of the Coreys. For five long months, he waited in prison for word of his trial. When he was let out, several witnesses arrived, demanding proof against the Coreys. In light of his new â€Å"fan club,† he chose to refuse to stand trial. Without a trial, there was a greater chance that his sons-in-law got his farm instead of the government. On Monday, September 19, consequence came for his refusal to stand trial. The punishment was death by pressing, the use of large stones to crush a person to death. On his deathbed, he only begged the executioner to â€Å"use larger stones,† so that he may die quicker. He was refused this meager last wish. Corey's "tongue being prest out of his mouth, the Sheriff with his cane forced it in again, when he was dying," said Robert Calef, a reporter covering the event. It took two days for him to die, and he was buried in a lone patch of grass on Gallows Hill. At the age of 80, Corey chose to die with honor and grit, rather than allow himself to be made a fool of by begging for his life in a courtroom that he knew would never let him live.

No Men Are Foriegn

No Men Are Foreign by James Kirkup Workbook Questions Extract 1 1 Who is the narrator of the poem? To whom is the poem addressed? Ans The poem appears to have an omniscient narrator and is addressed to all of mankind. (omniscient = one who knows everything) 2 What is meant by uniforms? Why are uniforms necessary especially during war? What is there beneath all uniforms? Ans Uniforms mean the varied cultural exteriors that people put on themselves in the form of different clothes that symbolise who they are.Uniforms are necessary especially during war in order to differentiate between and identify soldiers on different sides who would otherwise appear to be same. But beneath all uniforms lies the same human body. 3 Which single body is referred to in the extract? What is common to the single body and people like the narrator? Ans The single body referred to in the extract is the human body. What is common between the single body and people like the narrator is that it is same in struc ture and made of flesh and blood. 4 Who are referred to as brothers? What two things are common to all people as referred to in lines three and four of the extract?Ans People who we classify as different from ourselves are our brothers. We walk on the same land as long as we are alive and will be buried in the same earth when we die. 5 If there are different countries, how can we be one people? Ans Even if there are different countries, we can be one people because we all have the same body and we live and die on the same planet. Extract 2 1 Who are they that are mentioned in the extract? What are the common elements in the universe that are shared by all? What is the significance of the word, too in the extract? Ans They are those that we consider foreign.All of us share the common elements of sun, air and water. The word too is significant because it emphasizes that they are just like us. 2 What are peaceful harvests? Why are they said to be peaceful? What do the peaceful harvests symbolise? Ans Peaceful harvests are the crops grown and the enduring bounty during times of peace. They are said to be peaceful because they can be nurtured only during times of peace. They symbolise happiness and prosperity. 3 In what way is starvation associated with winter? Ans No crops can be grown during winter which is why there is a shortage of food.Thus, starvation is associated with winter. 4 What is meant by Their hands are ours? What are their lines? How can we conclude that their labour is same as ours? Ans Their hands are ours means that people living in other countries have hands just like ours which toil hard to earn a living. Their lines mean the lines on their face and body which are just like ours. Hence, we can conclude that though they belong to another land, they have worked hard throughout their lives, just like us. 5 Explain how does the author show that men from other countries have the same basic requirements as his own countrymen.Ans The author shows that men from other countries have the same requirements as his own countrymen by saying that they enjoy the same sunlight, breathe the same air and drink the same water. Not only this, they also work hard to earn a living. They too eat when their harvest is plentiful during times of peace and starve during war. Extract 3 1 On what topic is the poet speaking? In what respect are their eyes compared to ours? Ans The poet is speaking about commonalities, mutual respect and understanding. Their eyes are compared to us in that they too wake and sleep, just as we do. 2 Whose strength is referred to in the extract?Explain how strength can be won by love? Ans The strength referred to in the extract is that of those who we consider strange. Their strength can be won by love because everybody responds to love and appreciates the feeling of brotherhood. 3 Give the meaning and implication of the following:- In every land is common life That all can recognise and understand. Ans People living in an other land are just like us. They too understand the concept and feeling of universal brotherhood. The implication is that if we extend a fraternal hand, they will recognise it and willingly join hands with us. State briefly the theme of the poem. Ans The theme of the poem is one of universal brotherhood, internationalism and the renunciation of war. The world is one big family, no one is a stranger: no one is different; we all need and want the same things. Hence, waging wars against our brothers does not make sense. 5 How does the poet bring out in the extract the idea that men are not strangers to one another? Ans The poet specifies that just like us they wake and sleep and respond to love. Even if we look different on the exterior we all can recognise and understand the universal language of love and brotherhood. Extract 4 What is meant by dispossess, betray, condemn? What happens when we hate our brothers? Ans To dispossess means to take away what one owns, to betray means to b ecome a traitor, to condemn means to criticise strongly. When we hate our brothers, in effect we rob, cheat and condemn our own selves. We do not realise that in perpetuating hatred on our brothers, we are actually harming ourselves. 2 What does the poet remind us of in the fourth line of the extract? Ans In the fourth line extending into the fifth, the poet reminds us that when we arm ourselves against each other, we pollute the purity of our own earth through bloodshed. What are hells of fire and dust? What do they destroy? Ans Hells of fire and dust are the effects caused by bombs and other instruments of warfare. They destroy the purity of the air we breathe and depend upon for our survival. 4 What is the innocence of air? How is it defiled? Ans The innocence of air is the purity of the unspoilt air as nature intended it to be. It is defiled by human interference in the form of bombs and hatred. 5 What does the poet emphasize by beginning and ending the poem with the same line?A ns By beginning and ending the poem with the same line, the poet emphasizes through reiteration, his message of the spirit of oneness and fraternity. Although the message in both the lines is same, the opening line uses the adjective ‘strange’ with respect to men and ‘foreign’ in respect of countries, while in the end, the adjective ‘foreign’ is ascribed to men and ‘strange’ is ascribed to countries. This means that the two are one. Countries exist only because men do; nature does not divide, only man does. However man is the same everywhere irrespective of where he lives.