Before 1905 the opposition to the government of Tsar Nicholas II was of no consequence Essay

The Tsar was not in serious Jeopardy in 1905 Throughout his time as Tsar, Nicholas II was faced with constant threats due to terrorist groups such as the peoples will. Many of these groups were oppressed by ‘The reaction’ that began under the reign of Alexander III, however not all opposition was destroyed. This meant that Nicholas was in constant Jeopardy. This essay will discuss whether or not Tsar Nicholas II was truly in serious Jeopardy during the events of 1905. The Russian revolution which began in 1905 was a wave of mass political and social unrest that spread through vast areas of the Russian empire. Factors such as industrialisation, urbanisation, bouts of economic depression and a rapidly increasing population all contributed to undermine the order and stability of the regime. In light of the opposition he received, Nicholas created a Duma as a result of the October Manifesto in order to appease the masses. Before the creation of the Duma in 1905 however, political parties were illegal in Russia because Nicholas was a strict autocrat. There were three main groups which opposed tsardom during the period 1881-1905: the Populists, the Social revolutionaries and the Social Democrats. This essay will discuss whether these three groups were of any consequence to the government of Nicholas II before 1905. Populism began in the 1870’s. It was a revolutionary movement that thought the future of Russia was in the hands of the peasantry. The Populist’s were not peasants themselves, but members of the middle and upper classes. The Populist’s began to try and teach the peasantry about how they were going to lead the revolution by beginning a scheme called â€Å"going to the people†, however this did not work as well as they thought as many of the peasants did not understand or accept the revolutionary message being preached to them. This caused, in desperation, some members of the populist’s to turn to terrorism. In 1879 members of the Populist’s broke off and formed a separate group â€Å"the peoples will† with intention of killing members of the ruling class. This group, with little over 400 members, was responsible for t he assassination of Alexander III in 1881; however this act of violence weakened, rather than strengthened the movement. The Populist’s were of little consequence for the government of Nicholas II during his reign, however by the late 19th century most other revolutionary groups were inspired by Populist theories and methods as well as their challenge to tsardom, which would have posed a problem for  Nicholas. The second group that opposed tsardom were the social revolutionaries (SR’s). The SR’s grew directly out of the Populist movement. It extended the idea of the ‘people’ beyond the peasantry, to incorporate a growing urban workforce. However, as with most revolutionary groups in Russia, The SR’s were torn apart by disagreements with themselves, and soon emerged a right and left wing element to the party. One side wanted to follow on with the violent methods of the people’s will, and the other saw revolution as their primary goal and used peaceful methods such as working with other parties in order to achieve their goals. Between the years 1901-1905 the SR’s were responsible for over 2000 assassinations, including the Tsar’s uncle, Grand Duke Sergei. This suggests that the SR’s were of some consequence for the government of Nicholas II as the assassination of Grand Duke Sergei as well as many other important people, without a ny retribution from the Tsar, would have portrayed him as weak and therefore the citizens of Russia may have lost respect for him. The final group to oppose Nicholas II’s government were the Social Democrats. The All-Russian Social Democratic Labour Party was formed in 1898. It was a Marxist party, which meant that it accepted the theories of German revolutionary Karl Marx. Marx believed history was an on-going class struggle and that two classes existed, the working class and the proletariat. Marx said that the workers were exploited by the proletariat in order to make them wealthy. They worked long hours for poor pay and would never be in a position to own anything. A deep divide soon occurred within the party however, this became known as the Bolshevik/Menshevik split. The Bolshevik’s and the Menshevik’s soon became two opposing Marxist parties. The Social Democrats, or the Bolshevik’s and Menshevik’s had little consequence for the Government of Nicholas II prior to the 1917 revolution and played a very little party in anything before 1905. In Conclusion the opposition to Nicholas II’s government prior to 1905 was of some consequence however it was not enough to instigate any major change. This lasted until 1917 when the Bolshevik’s eventually took power and turned autocratic rule into communist rule.

Bubonic plague Essay

Bubonic plague has emerged and spread rapidly across towns, cities, and rural areas in several worldwide epidemics through the whole of history. Probably the earliest mention of bubonic plague is the Old Testament record in the First Book of Samuel giving an account of swellings and rodents that made attack on the Philistines (Ackroyd 55-57). The bubonic plague later hit the falling apart Roman Empire in the period of the sixth and seventh centuries. And from 1348 to 1350, the plague known as the Black Death brought the suffering and death across Europe and China, killing perhaps one-quarter or one-third of the population. This terrible epidemic outbreak of the deadly and highly infectious plague in China and Europe, that became possibly the worst catastrophe in all written history, still remains one of the most important and controversial tragic events through the history. Many professional historians of medicine analyzed the origin and spread of the Black Death, trying to explain or understand the origin and flow of epidemic disease during that period. This paper will discuss some of the perspectives and historical accounts by giving a glimpse of the evidence that various historians have considered. The Cause of the Black Death Most historians acknowledge that Europe and China experienced population pressure and famine in the 1300’s. Supporters of the demographic model usually link famine with plague, sometimes directly, sometimes vaguely. Famine and population pressure, state North and Thomas (1970), â€Å"set the stage for disease† and often were associated with the origin of the plague (1-17). Supporting such point of view, Le Roy Ladurie (1972) described the Black Death as a â€Å"holocaust of the undernourished† (3-34). Historians indicate that the Black Death had been preceded by the periods of famine, in particular the great famine of 1315-17 that was experienced by European population in the north, and it is also recorded that considerable population increase in general had already been reported before the Black Death. Consequently, analysis of supporters of the demographic model would suggest that the massive expansion of the twelfth and thirteenth centuries generated a situation where population growth went faster than food resources, with the outcome that lack of means by which population could maintain life became more serious and facilitated the origin of the epidemic. Other historians disagree. Thus, for example, Jean Meuvret (1993) argued that there was no simple or direct cause-effect relationship between famine/population pressure and Black Death. Jean Meuvret’s position was confirmed by Jean-Noel Biraben in a great study of the plague (Grmek and Fantini 319). Biraben demonstrated that although bubonic plague often originated after famine, there were many examples when famine came after plague and other cases in which plague was not accompanied by famine and vice versa. The historian came to conclusion that in the case of the Black Death there was no cause other than the plague itself that could have brought about epidemic. There may be found some relationship between famine and disease, he indicates, but it was not because famine became the cause of the plague; rather, it was because plague, after striking, aggravated famine as a result of the considerable stagnation of agriculture and economic disorder. Moreover, in all the recent medical literature that examines plague taking into account historical cycles, there is found no direct connection between lack of food and plague origin. These considerations generate doubt about the position of the demographic model. The Spread of the Black Death This section will begin by asking where Black Death came from, and why it emerged when it did. There is general agreement among contemporary observers and today’s historians that the Black Death of the fourteenth century originated in central Asia. Although it is hard to tell for sure, but there is also a growing opinion among historians that the Black Death came and expanded across Central Asia from China in the period of the 1340s and in 1347 it infected medieval Genoese traders who had established roots between Europe and Central Asia, it almost instantly emerged in Constantinople and was then right away communicated by the trade routes to the widespread areas of Mediterranean and western Europe. Historians have found out that already by the end of 1348 most population of southern and western Europe had been infected with this rapidly developing disease. It soon appeared in England and two years later it already hit the rest of the British land, Germany and Scandinavia. It is estimated that between a third and a half of all Europeans were killed by the Black Death of 1348-53 (Loudon 66). The dreadful disease spread every day from the sick to the noninfected. It was even not necessary to be near the infected: even being in contact with their clothes or anything they had touched was enough to become infected. Most of the poor population was not allowed to leave the houses and became sick every day by thousands. And for insufficiency of appropriate medical service and other things, almost all unavoidably were destined to terrible death. The epidemic killed whole communities. John Saltmarsh presents account of the genocide, economic stagnation and depression brought by plague. He refers to a French historian who described in detail deserted villages and farms. Saltmarsh cites a Franciscan Friar, John Clyn: Lest things worthy of remembrance should perish with time, and fall away from the memory of those who come after us, I, seeing these many evils, and the whole world lying, as it were, in the wicked one – myself awaiting death among the dead – inter mortuos mortem expectans – as I have truly heard and examined, so I have reduced these things to writing; and lest the writing should perish with the writer, and the work fail together with the workman, I leave parchment for continuing the work, if haply any man survive, and any of the race of Adam escape this pestilence and continue the work which I have begun (Creighton 115). This situation was not confined only to Europe. Beginning from the 1320s, the Black Death had carved its way along the roads of Central Asia. In particular China was hard affected. Some sources indicate that by the 1390s the population of China may have dropped to approximately 90 million from 125 million (Gottfried 35). Interpretations of the Black Death Medical professionals are now of the same opinion that the Black Death was the bubonic plague, arriving from central Asia, and carried by fleas and rats, which were widespread in medieval Europe. Medieval doctors, however, naturally possessed no knowledge to determine by diagnosis anything so dependent upon microscopic examination of phenomena. As a result, the plague was often attributed to God’s rage against the special depravity and corruption of that period. Thus, for example, in Piers Ploughman, Reason â€Å"proved that these pestilences were for pure sin, and the south-west wind on Saturday at even was for pure pride, and no point else† (Sumption 15). Contemporary astrological specialists noticed the deadly union of Saturn, Jupiter, and Mars. In addition, Jews were oppressed and destroyed as there was information that they had poisoned wells. Medical representatives had two opinions: the first group claimed that the cause was miasma, pollution of the air, and the second group considered that direct contact was the cause and recommended complete isolation. The quarantines were absolutely useless, taking into consideration the fact that the disease was transmitted by rats and fleas, but these nuances were not known until additional studies were done after the next great plague emerged in the 1890s. Conclusion Human devastation was tremendous in the period of the Black Death, and the demographic, economic, political, social, and psychological impact of the plague was greatly felt for many decades. This paper explored various points of view of historians studying epidemics of the past and their explanations of how and why the great epidemic emerged, spread rapidly and caused so high mortality. It also looked at various interpretations of this disease by contemporary observers.

Consequences of the Korean War

Consequences of the Korean War * The Korean War never ended, and they are still under an armistice to this day. The Korean War is technically not over; all that's keeping the two sides from going to war again is a cease-fire agreement. * The Korean War brought the US and Russia further apart, and the fear of communism would later lead the US to throw itself into Vietnam, to avoid another North Korea. * It also brought China into conflict with the US, bringing bad feelings between the two countries which would last for decades. To this day, American troops are staitioned along the border between the Koreas and there are still reports of sporadic firing. * The war also created a strong bond between South Korea and the United States. * Syngman Rhee's southern regime became even more dictatorial, and in 1960 he resigned after student riots. South Korea only became more unstable with his departure, and it is only in the last two decades that South Korea has really seen sustained economic growth. * In North Korea, Kim Il-sung developed a full-scale personality cult, and ruled until his death in 1994. Tensions between the two countries remain to this day, perhaps seen best in North Korea's boycott of the 1988 Seoul Olympics, to which the USSR and PRC sent athletes. The legacy of the Korean War continues to haunt the United States, as the US worries about North Korea's possession of nuclear weapons. * * The Korean War was able to bring diverse effects to not only Korea but the World. The Korean War was one of the most destructive and brought economic and social damage to Korea. However, the Korean War was able to boost the economy of both Japan and the US.The Korean War also legitimized the United Nations and led to further expansion of military power. The Korean War also showed the growing anti-communist feeling across the US. The Korean War brought both positive and negative effects to the world. * The Korean War brought many negative effects to Korea. â€Å"The Kor ean War was one of the most destructive of the 20th century. Perhaps as many as 4 million Koreans died throughout the peninsula, two-thirds of them civilians. This compares, for example, with the 2. 3 million Japanese who died in WWII.China lost up to 1 million soldiers, and the US suffered 36,934 dead and 103,284 wounded. Other UN nations suffered 3322 dead and 11,949 wounded. † (http://encarta. msn. com/text_7 6559607__0/Korean_War. html) The Korean War also brought social damage to Korea, â€Å"especially in the North, where three years of bombing left hardly a modern building standing. †(http://encarta. msn. com/text_761559607__0/Korea_War. html) The war also reinforced the boundaries between the North and the South. North Korea remained a communist nation and South Korea became a free republic.This social difference still brings conflict even today. * Although the Korean War had negative effects on Korea, it did however boost the economy of Japan,† The war ha d a lasting consequence beyond Korea. Much of the material used in the war was bought from nearby Japan. This gave Japanese economy such an dynamic boot after the ravages of WWII that some have called the Korean War, Japan’s Marshal Plan, a reference to the US economic aid program that helped rebuild post-war Europe. The Korean War had similar effects on the American economy, as defense spending nearly quadrupled in the last six months of 1950. (http://encarta. msn. com/text_761559607__0/Korea _War. html) The Korean War although devastating to Korea was able to bring a new beginning to the Japanese with a better economy. The Korean War was able to give the Japanese the success that WWII gave the US after the depression. * Besides world economic success and social devastation the Korean War was also able to legitimize the United Nations as well as bring larger military expansion to the world. â€Å"It confirmed the ideas behind NSC-68, with its call for US to expand its milit ary and to lead an anticommunist alliance. Goldfield, pg 870) The Korean War also, â€Å"responsible for establishing America’s chain of military bases around the world and its enormous defense and intelligence system at home. † (http://encarta/msn. com/text_761559607__0/Korean_War. html) The Korean War was able to reinforce the idea of a more prominent military system and the importance of the United Nations. * The Korean War had both positive and negative effects. The Korean War was able to boost the economy of the Japanese government and revive their economy similarly to the way ours was during WWII. The Korean War, however, was very destructive to Korea.Both North and South Korea had much causality but they both were stretched economically. With the end of the Korean War it left Korea still split and still with a communist government to deal with even through today. The Korean War also legitimized the United Nations as well as brought more military power throughout the world. The effects of the Korean War can without a doubt still be seen throughout the world today. * January 14, 1950: Ho Chi Minh proclaims DRV (Democratic Republic of Vietnam). * April 25, 1950: Truman approves NSC-68 * May 30, 1950: In South Korea, Republic Of Korea elections.Many conservatives ousted by moderates. * June 25, 1950: North Korea crosses the 38th Parallel, invading South Korea. * June 25, 1950: First Blair House meeting. * June 26, 1950: North Korea's tanks reach the outskirts of Seoul. * June 27, 1950: Truman commits US Naval and Air support to South Korea. * June 27, 1950: American Delegate asks UN to furnish assistance to ROK (Republic of Korea) to restore international peace. * June 29, 1950: General MacArthur flies to South Korean headquarters at Suwon. * June 30, 1950: Truman and advisers agree to give MacArthur 2 divisions. July 2, 1950: NKPA (North Korean People's Army) takes Suwon. * July 22, 1950: Communist Chinese attack Nationalist Chinese islands, Quemoy and Little Quemoy. * July 29, 1950: MacArthur visits Formosa, home of the Nationalist Chinese defeated by Mao. * August 17, 1950: US announces in UN its goal of a unified, anti-Communist Korea. * August 27, 1950: US planes accidentally attack Manchurian airfields. * September 11, 1950: Truman approves NSC-81/1. * September 15, 1950: With US/UN/ROK forces pushed back nearly to the end of the Korean peninsula, MacArthur launches the Inchon Invasion. September 27, 1950: Walker's Eighth Army makes contact with X Corps. MacArthur gives OK for US forces to cross the 38th Parallel. * September 29, 1950: Syngman Rhee's government ceremonially restored in reconquered Seoul. * October 9, 1950: US Army crosses 38TH Parallel near Kaesong. * October 15, 1950: Wake Island Meeting * October 19, 1950: US forces occupy Pyongyang * October 24, 1950: MacArthur orders his troops into Korea's northernmost provinces. * October 25, 1950: South Korean ROK forces annihilated by PRC (People's Republic of China) forces at Pukchin. * November 1, 1950: First US vs.Communist Chinese fighting at Unsan * November 3, 1950: UN resolution passed, censuring North Korea for â€Å"breach of peace† * November 7, 1950: Congressional Elections in US, seen as a referendum on Truman's policy. * November 27, 1950: US Marines/Infantry surrounded by Chinese Communist forces at Chosin Reservoir. * November 30, 1950: In press conference, Truman admits US may be considering using A-Bomb. * December 15, 1950: Truman declares a state of national emergency. * January 4, 1951: Ridgway evacuates Seoul, withdraws from Inchon * January 25, 1951: Operation Thunderbolt. US/UN/ROK forces go back on the offensive. February 1, 1951: UN censures People's Republic of China for â€Å"aggression† * February 1951: Operation Killer begun. * March 7, 1951: Ridgway launches Operation Ripper. * March 15, 1951: US/UN/ROK forces retake Seoul. * March 24, 1951: MacArthur unilaterally issues an ultimatum to the People's Republic of China. * April 4, 1951: Congress endorses NATO, sends Eisenhower to head unified NATO command. * April 5, 1951: Operation Rugged. * April 5, 1951: Truman dismisses MacArthur from command. * May 3, 1951 to June 25, 1951: Senate Foreign Relations Committee investigates MacArthur's dismissal. April 14, 1951: Gen. James Van Fleet assumes tactical command of Eighth Army. * April 22, 1951: All-out Communist offensive fails to retake Seoul. * May 15, 1951: Another Communist offensive, again fails to take territory. * May 18, 1951: Ridgway launches counteroffensive. * May 18, 1951: UN nations start military goods boycott of the People Republic of China. * May 30, 1951: Operation Piledriver, an offensive against the Iron Triangle, begins. * June 30, 1951: Ridgway broadcasts first American overture for peace talks. * July 8, 1951: Peace talks begin at Kaesong. August 19, 1951: Communists accuse UN forces of violating the Kaesong area, suspend the talks. * October 25, 1951 : Peace talks resume at Panmunjom. * March 29, 1952: Truman announces he will not run for reelection. * April 11, 1952: Truman relieves Eisenhower of command so he can run for President. * June 1952: Washington authorizes bombing Korean power plants on the Yalu river. * July 11, 1952: US air attack on Pyongyang. * August 5, 1952: Rhee wins another clearly rigged election. * November 4, 1952: Eisenhower wins Presidential election in landslide. November 29, 1952: Eisenhower secretly goes to Korea on fact-finding mission * February 11, 1953: Eisenhower replaces the frustrated Van Fleet with Lt. Gen. Maxwell Taylor. * April 16, 1953: Communists attack â€Å"Pork Chop Hill† * April 26, 1953: Talks resume at Panmunjom. * June 8, 1953: â€Å"Terms of Reference,† regulating POW repatriation, signed. * July 19, 1953: Delegates reach agreement at Panmunjom. * July 27, 1953: Peace Treaty signed at Panmunjom. 38th parallel reset as boundary between communist North and anti-communi st South. Cold War tensions continue unabated.

Nebraska and the Safe Haven Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Nebraska and the Safe Haven Law - Essay Example Only infants up to the age of three days can be dropped off at emergency rooms. Until the law goes into effect, Nebraska has teamed up with the United Way to with a help line for overwhelmed parents. prevent new mothers from feeling so despondent that they harm their own children. Some women do not want children due to age or marriage status. Others do not realize they are pregnant. After the trauma of birth, some women feel no way out. The law was supposed to save these babies. Instead of throwing their child in the trashcan, women had a better alternative of leaving them at a hospital. Most states have a no questions asked policy. Nebraska’s original law has allowed: At least 18 children, the youngest 22 months and many of them teens, have been abandoned since the law took effect in July. Nebraskas law doesnt define "child," so it has been interpreted to let anyone leave a child up to age 18 at a state-licensed hospital without fear of prosecution for abandonment. (Nebraska†¦, 2008) A disadvantage to this new law is the overwhelmed parents of all age children. Parents of teenagers, especially, can become overwhelmed by a child’s behavior. This can lead to child abuse, or even abandonment in unsafe places. The Nebraska law might have helped children of all ages to go into foster care without being exposed to abuse. One father that dropped off more than one child did not plan on dropping off his children, but the mother of the children died. This man had no other options. He loved his children, but just could not care for them. With the new law, a parent like this is stuck in their situation until something bad happens. Another disadvantage with Nebraska’s new law is the fear inspired. New mothers might be confused or frightened by the new law. New mothers do not think rationally until a couple of weeks after birth. These mothers might not realize their rights until it is too late.

What impact has the division of the Korean peninsula had on the Essay

What impact has the division of the Korean peninsula had on the development of the two Koreas - Essay Example Based on an image taken by the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) of the US (United States) Department of Defense, the Korean peninsula is aptly described in contrasting terms: â€Å"South Korea is bright, North Korea is dark† (GlobalSecurity.org). Such imagery is a reflection of the development of the divided Korean peninsula: North Korea in the grip of communism and dictatorship and South Korea at the frontiers of democracy and progress.After the surrender of Japan on August 14, 1945, the USSR (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics) and the US occupied the Korean peninsula north and south of the thirty-eighth parallel, respectively (Wheeling Jesuit University). In 1948, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea was established in the USSR-occupied North while the Republic of Korea was established in the US-occupied South. The succeeding Korean War, started in 1950, formalized the rift between the two states (Feffer). An armistice was finally declared in 195 3, with the two states still holding their original territories. Due to decades of division, the two Koreas undertook diverging paths of development and achieved different levels of success.In terms of economic development, dark North Korea is facing poverty and food shortage whereas bright South Korea is â€Å"one of the world’s major economies and a leading exporter of cars and electronic goods† (BBC â€Å"Overview†). The Central Intelligence Agency states, â€Å"North Korea, one of the world's most centrally directed and least open economies, faces chronic economic problems " (Central Intelligence Agency "Economy - Korea, North"). On the other hand, the CIA asserts, "South Korea has achieved an incredible record of growth and integration into the high-tech modern world economy" (Central Intelligence Agency "Economy - Korea, South"). The 2007 estimate of the GDP per capita of North Korea was pegged at $1,900 whereas that of South Korea was pegged at $24,600. These differences can be explained by the ways the two Koreas handled their post-war economies. Typical of communism wherein there is state ownership of all production, the North implements a central planning economy (Kwak). Consequently, the government has a hand in every economic activity. The North subscribes to three fundamental principles: "the construction of independent native economy, the heavy and munitions industries first policy, and the advance of military and economy side by side" (Hwang). Today, the Northern state still operates a closed economy to protect its political ideology. South Korea, on the other hand, employs a market economy, which has resulted to urbanization, industrialization and rapid economic growth (Kwak). Hwang adds that planned capitalism, wherein "the government plans the allocation of resources but gives [the] individual the private ownership of capital", also readily contributed to the economic progress. The government supported the expansion of family-owned industries called "chaebol", examples of which are Hyundai and Samsung (BBC "Overview "). As predicted, these business conglomerates became the frontrunners of the booming South Korean economy. Politically, North Korea maintains a communist stance whereas South Korea adheres to democratic principles. Marxism-Leninism is the type of communism adapted by North Korea (Hwang). Kim Il-sung, the first head and considered the "Eternal president" of the North Korean government, promoted "Juche" - a political philosophy of self-reliance, which has become the foundation of the state's development (BBC "Overview"). Hwang states that Juche is actually brainwashing politics. From the fundamental concept that the human is the master of everything, Il-sung was able to justify an external closed-door policy and an internal dictatorship and hereditary succession (Hwang). The entire Northern state was militarized under the auspices of national defense. Hwang asserts that this caused a major breach between the North and South relations since South Korea seeks to unify through

Creating a sense of Communiy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Creating a sense of Communiy - Essay Example When it comes to African culture, a number of aspects arise due to the conservative nature (Halverson & Tirmizi, 2008). This is especially so when it comes to such aspects as religion, music, art, and beliefs that normally promote communal work through the sharing of items such as homes, natural resources, and wealth. Additionally, their music and literary work is meant to enhance cohesion, as it mainly focuses on building a strong bond among the Africans and beyond (Sizoo, 2010). Perhaps it is important to look at the Mexican culture that uses unique cuisines and architecture to unite those who belong or would like to be associated with the culture. Ordinarily, the Mexican culture emphasizes on romance and love through numerous and unique weddings (Doudna, 2004). While not all cultures promote harmonious stay among the people, it is worthy to note that the Jamaican culture focuses more on uniting its people by preaching peace through the reggae music among other things such as marijuana (Dhingra, 2007). This is important for cohesion and crime deterrence especially in the modern society. Overall, culture plays a very significant role in the identity of various communities and this further enhances cohesion among the members belonging to a particular cultural background (Halverson & Tirmizi,

How is this artefact the product of a particular historical and Essay - 1

How is this artefact the product of a particular historical and cultural environment - Essay Example In addition to that, in order to focus the analysis, the research will examine a pair of jeans that is in possession of the author. To begin with, it may be suitable to perform a preliminary analysis. Thus, one should point out that one of the main characteristic features of jeans is the peculiar kind of fabric that it is made of. The actual cloth that is used in production is called denim and is different from regular fabric in structure as feature an unusual combination of warp and weft (Chauncey 5). In addition to that there are metal rivets that are thought to reinforce the pockets so that they could carry more. Finally, there a special kind of thread that is used for the seams. The jeans that were the direct object of investigation are made by Gap. Keeping in mind that this company largely uses factories that are located on the island of Saipan, it would not be an exaggeration to point out that the pair of jeans in question was produced on that island (Bendix 5). It may be rather difficult to identity the time when this artefact was manufactured as there is no date indicated on the cloth. However, there may be a way to define the approximate time. Considering the fashion of the jeans, one might conclude that the pair in question was made in 2012. Speaking of the processes that were used in its production, one might speculate that they were made by hands of the hired workers. In order to gain a better understanding of the artefact one may also consider the reason why it was made. Leading aside different speculations about the possible cultural meaning and the shifting paradigm of clothes, one may point out that jeans have become the most popular casual clothes in the world (Cunningham 31). This means that people who come from different cultural backgrounds may be willing to buy a pair of jeans in order to wear it on a daily basis. That is why the

The role of perceived value in the relationship of switching cost and Essay

The role of perceived value in the relationship of switching cost and customer loyalty in e-commerce 04242 - Essay Example In the contemporary world of consumer marketing, customer loyalty has received immense importance as the success of an organisation is dependent on it (Reichheld and Schefter, 2000). There are many studies related to customer loyalty; however, there are few which highlight the role of perceived value in relation with switching cost and customer loyalty. In this project, eCommerce industry is selected and the relation is examined with the help of primary and secondary research. There are many studies pertaining to customer loyalty and switching cost; however, there are few regarding the affect of perceived value on both the factors. This prompted the researchers to do extensive research on the topic and examine the relation in the eCommerce industry. The researchers have defined customer loyalty as the behavioural and attitudinal measures for assessing the success of an organisation. With regard to attitudinal perspective, it is viewed as particular desire for continuing the relationship with the service providers (Anderson and Cunningham, 2008; Yang and Peterson, 2004). However, the behavioural view explains that customer loyalty can be defined as the repeat patronage of the individuals towards a particular brand. It is dependent on the number of times a purchaser has chosen the product or service from a definite category. This frequency is compared with the total number of purchases that is made earlier in order to examine the level of customer loyalty (Anderson and Cunningham, 2008). Customer perceived value is significant for examining the purchase behaviour of an individual (Yen, 2009). The customers get a number of opportunities during any online shopping; hence, the brands have to maintain a good relationship with the customers so that the switching cost is not high. Nevertheless, perceived value contributes loyalty towards the consumers by providing a number of alternatives (Anderson and

Intenational Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Intenational - Essay Example Spain, France, and Holland launched various expeditions in order to establish colonies in the underdeveloped areas of the world, particularly in Asia, Africa, and South America. Despite the differences in methods, the objectives related to the launching of international and colonial trade in those times are not absolutely distinct to today’s globalisation. Globalisation in modern times is being pursued with the premise that former relationship of colonizers and colonies is no longer dominant. It is founded on the concept that the world is now made up mostly of independent countries that have sovereignty in managing their respective domestic economies and also have the capability of joining international trade. Free trade is the main objective of globalisation. It aims to make the entire world an open and free market, where people can easily avail of commodities coming from other countries. It allows businesses to expand beyond their countries of origin, thereby exporting not just goods but also capital. However, in doing so, it also seeks the removal of major barriers that each country may have established to deter the influx of too much imported goods as a result of unconstrained foreign trade. Consequently, this has an adverse effect on the sustainability of small local firms in any particular economy. The arrival of huge volumes of imports would lead into a competition strong enough to force their demise. This is the reason why debates on the nature of globalisation continue to be waged and international trade organisations and treaties are relentlessly being attacked by sectors that are most affected by its negative effects. This is also the basis why governments must not absolutely subject their economies to unconstrained foreign trade but instead legislate and enforce policies that would protect the small local firms. Apologists for unrestrained capitalism have always extolled the salient features of globalisation. Capitalism is an economic

Social Aspects of Marketing Essay Example for Free

Social Aspects of Marketing Essay The market economy is a faceless system that is run by competition, and the means to achieve and succeed may not always be ethical or acceptable. Marketers have been accused for deceptive practices, such as deceptive pricing, promotion and packaging. Deceptive practices lead the consumer to believe they get more value to their money than they actually do. Marketers have also been accused for creating needs that would not exist without heavy advertising. For example, people can be made to believe that they might need a certain medicine for a condition that actually does not require medical treatment. Due to these faults marketing practises have changed in the previous years to be more socially and environmentally responsible, and movements such as consumerism and environmentalism have developed. We will now shortly go through these concepts. Societal Marketing Resent environmental problems, resource shortages, worldwide economic problems and neglected social services have led to a birth of a new marketing concept, Societal Marketing. Societal marketing concept is a marketing management philosophy that underlines that satisfying customer needs effectively and efficiently while achieving organisational goals is not enough. â€Å"The idea [of societal marketing concept] is that the organisation should determine the needs, wants and interest of target markets and deliver the desired satisfaction more effectively and efficiently than competitors in a way that maintains or improves both the consumer’s and society’s well-being.† (Kotler et al. 2005) Consumerism Consumerism stems from the idea that the marketing system should be efficiently serving consumer wants. Consumerism is â€Å"an organized movement of citizens and government agencies to improve the rights and power of buyers in relation to sellers.† (Kotler et al. 2005) Consumerism underlines that the buyer has the right to be well informed of the product, protected against questionable products and marketing practises, and the right to influence products and marketing practises, for example by being able to propose ingredients to products. Environmentalism Environmentalism is a movement that is concerned with the effects of  marketing systems to environment. Environmentalism is â€Å"an organized movement of concerned citizens and government agencies to protect and improve people’s living environment†. (Kotler et al. 2005) Environmentalism questions whether the costs of serving consumer needs and wants are too high. The latest environmentalism wave is â€Å"environmental sustainability† which refers to the idea that companies should seek sustainable ways of producing profits. This could be achieved by utilizing new environmental technology, preventing pollution, underlining sustainability in strategy, and by product stewardship; expanding the company responsibility of the product to its whole life cycle. (Kotler et al. 2005)

System analysis

System analysis 4.1 Introduction System analysis is a major activity which takes place when we are structure a latest system or changing one. Analysis will help us to understand about the existing system and also will know the requirements necessary for the latest system. And if there is no accessible system then system analysis will defines only the necessity. In system analysis the most important factor is to identify and rectify problems in system. A well understanding of the system will enables designer to understand and rectify the system problems. Existing Software The software is implemented in the system hard disc to the server. The server program runs constantly and waits for a connection to be recognized to it and will make available on line system to automate different operations completed in the network. 2.1.1 Existing System In past the company staff uses the legacy system of carrying interoffice mails by the messengers from one user to other user of the company or they can also use the intercoms for call conference or even in some cases emails are used for transmit of messages between the group community There are some disadvantages in existing system * Tedious message broadcasting system. * Communication is not instant. * Message transfer is done through insecure communication media. * Communication delays. * Maintaining the identities of all the members is not efficient. Like using manual books, diaries, etc., for storing of users information. 2.1.2 Proposed System To overcome the shortcomings of the conventional systems, the project aims at developing a multithreaded public messaging system for broadcasting messages to every member in the channel; that allows multiple people (users) to interact with each other in a shared environment. The proposed system aims to fulfill the following: Ã ¾ Sharing of data in a real time environment, i.e., the data broadcasted can be edited online and viewed simultaneously. Ã ¾ Providing fast, secure, reliable and cost effective broadcasting communication medium between community members. Ã ¾ Support for public and private channels of communication. Ã ¾ Multiple media transmission support; like voice, text, images, etc. Ã ¾ Personal peer messaging service. Ã ¾ A user-friendly interface 2.2 Requirement Analysis Requirement analysis provides software designer with a model of: Ø System information Ø Function Ø Behaviour Model can be translated to data, architectural, and component-level designs. 2.2.1 Analysis Objectives Ø Identification of the customers needs. Ø Evaluation of the system for feasibility. Ø Perform technical analysis. Ø Establish constraints. Ø Create system definitions 2.3 Software Requirements Analysis Phases Problem recognition: The existing system provides the information about products in the form of Local Advertisements media and paper advertisements. This is not sufficient to reach the end user properly. So, the company management is willing to maintain a web site which one accomplished all firm in detailed. Evaluation and synthesis: After getting the clear problem definition we focused on what to do but not how to do. Ways to solve the problem and among the different ways we found and we selected the best way to solve the problem. Modeling: We made a rough diagram of the proposed system and showed it to the clients to verify whether their specifications are completely mentioned in that or not. Specifications: The software and hardware requirements and complete specifications are known. The functional and non functional requirements are known. Constraint: The constraints are known and a clear definition of the system is given. Review: A review of the whole process what we did and the result are shown to the clients. 2.4. Feasibility Study Feasibility study is conducted once the problem is clearly understood. It is a high level capsule version of the entire System Analysis and Design process. The main objective is to determine how to solve a problem quickly, at a minimum expense and to check if the problem is worth solving. This system has been tested for feasibility in the following points: Ø Operational Feasibility Ø Technical Feasibility Ø Economical Feasibility 2.4.1 Economic Feasibility Economic feasibility is the most frequently used method for evaluating the effectiveness of the proposed system. During study costs are considered like costs of hardware, minimum configuration, system compatibility of H/W, etc., the proposed system minimizes the time effort of the data collection, answering queries and generating reports which results in significant saving. Thus, the proposed system is economically feasible. 2.4.2 Operational Feasibility Proposed projects are beneficial only if they can be turned into information systems that will meet the requirements. As current business methods are not acceptable to the users in terms of speed, timely and accurate results, users welcomed a change that will bring about a more operational and useful system. With the rarely involvement it reduced the chances of resistance to the system and change in general and increased the likelihood of the project successfully. 2.4.3 Technical Feasibility It centers on the existing computer system and to what extent it can support the proposed system. The system can be expanded as the need arises. With the obtained technology there is guaranteed of accuracy, reliability, ease of access and security. Thus, it is technically feasible to design and develop the proposed system. 3. SOFTWARE REQUIREMENT SPECIFICATION 3.1 Software Requirements Operating System : Windows XP,LINUX Languages : Java Java compiler : J2sdk1.4 3.2 Hardware Requirements Processor : Pentium III above RAM : 256MB Hard Disk : 20GB

The role of icts in addressing challenges in higher education

The role of icts in addressing challenges in higher education ABSTRACT One of the most common problems of using Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in education is to base choices on technological possibilities rather than educational needs. In developing countries where higher education is fraught with serious challenges at multiple levels, there is increasing pressure to ensure that technological possibilities are viewed in the context of educational needs. This paper argues that a central role of educational technology is to provide additional strategies that can be used to address the serious environmental and educational challenges faced by educators and students in higher education. The educational needs manifest in Indian universities include addressing general lack of academic preparedness, multilingual needs in English medium settings, large class sizes and inadequate curriculum design. Using case studies from one higher educational institution, this paper shows how specific and carefully considered interventions using ICTs can be used to address these teaching and learning concerns. These examples serve to demonstrate some ways in which teaching and learning may be enhanced when uses of educational technology are driven by educational needs. The paper concludes that design of educational technology interventions should be driven by educational needs within the context of a broader teaching and learning strategy which requires buy-in of both educators and learners. INTRODUCTION It has been suggested that information and communication technologies (ICTs) can and do play a number of roles in education. These include providing a catalyst for rethinking teaching practice (Flecknoe, 2002; McCormick Scrimshaw, 2001); developing the kind of graduates and citizens required in an information society (Department of Education, 2001); improving educational outcomes (especially pass rates) and enhancing and improving the quality of teaching and learning (Wagner, 2001; Garrison Anderson, 2003). While all of these suggest the potential impact of ICTs in education in general and India in particular, it is still difficult to demonstrate the potential of technologies in addressing specific teaching and learning problems faced by Indian higher education institutions. The thesis of this paper is that the potential of ICTs is sandwiched between increasing pressure on higher education institutions from government to meet the social transformation and skills needs of India, and the varying student academic preparedness, large class sizes and multilingualism currently experienced in these teaching and learning contexts. Our thinking aligns with others (such as Kirkup Kirkwood, 2005; Wagner, 2001) who argue that it is the contextualized teaching and learning needs that ought to drive the ICT intervention, rather than the technology itself. In India, contextualization of teaching and learning requires a tightrope walk between higher education imperatives and social-cultural context of the educational landscape. This paper illustrates by means of examples drawn from one higher education institution how educational needs can drive design of learning environments and technological use. The question driving this paper is: How may educational technology interventions address theteaching and learning challenges faced by Indian higher education institutions? We discuss the general and specific educational challenges. These challenges then provide a context for an ICT intervention framework which is described and examples of the use of this framework in curriculum projects are discussed. CHALLENGES FACING HIGHER EDUCATION IN INDIA General challenges Currently, higher education in India is under increasing pressure to meet the social transformation and skills needs of the new India (Kistan, 2002). At the same time it is under immense external and internal pressure to improve on its policy and delivery performance (De Clercq, 2002). One of the indicators of social transformation in education is increasing the demographic representation among graduates and reducing the demographic difference between student intake and graduate throughput. The National Higher Education Plan (2001) outlines the role of higher education institutions in the new India: The key challenges facing the Indian higher education system remain as outlined inthe White Paper: ‘to redress past inequalities and to transform the higher education systemto serve a new social order, to meet pressing national needs, and to respond to newrealities and opportunities (White Paper: 1.1). (Department of Education India,2001.) Furthermore, recent government policy has added pressure on higher education institutions by linking funding to throughput. In other words, unlike in the past when institutions were funded on the number of registered first year students, funding is now linked to graduate throughput. Improving efficiency and addressing the equity needs of the country raises conflicting challenges for higher education institutions (Scott, 2004: 1). These challenges are exacerbated by the fact that most students enter university under-prepared and therefore require more support to bridge the gaps in the required knowledge and skills (Paras, 2001). Furthermore, in 2005 quality assurance audits1 focusing on the institutional management of core functions of teaching and learning, research and community engagement were conducted at Indian higher education institutions. The challenge for higher education institutions is therefore not only about increasing throughput in terms of numbers and the diversity of i ts student population but also involves ensuring quality educational provision. The Indian government has identified the use of ICTs for teaching and learning as an important priority. For example, the e-Education policy states: Every Indian manager, teacher and learner in the general and further education andtraining bands will be ICT capable (that is, use ICTs confidently and creatively to helpdevelop the skills and knowledge they need as lifelong learners to achieve personal goalsand to be full participants in the global community) by 2013. (Department of EducationIndia, 2004: 17) Thus, the ultimate goal of the policy is the realization of ICT-capable managers, educators and learners by 2013. Read together with the National Higher Education Plan, these two policies have ramifications for instructional designers, educators, students and researchers. The underlying argument of this paper is that the realization of the policys goals largely depends on the extent to which current educational challenges are re-conceptualised in the context of the role that ICT can play in teaching and learning. The current focus on teaching and learning coupled with growth in educational technology in Indian higher education institutions (Czerniewicz et al., 2005: The role of ICTs in higher education in India61) requires that we begin to ask questions about the ways in which educational technology contributes to addressing the educational challenges in the new India. As is the case in higher education globally, Indian higher education is under pressure to increase participation fro m diverse groups of students and to produce the skills required for a rapidly changing society. In the UK, for example, participation in higher education has increased since the 1940s but participation of higher socio-economic groups still exceeds that of lower socio-economic groups (DFES report, 2004). While similar, these challenges take particular forms given Indias unique history. For example, global disparities are defined in terms of class; in India the educational disparities are manifested along racial lines due to the political, economic and social policies of the pre-1994 era. Redress of marginalised groups and social transformation is therefore central to the policies of post-1994. The Indian government has made it clear that one of its aims is to achieve equitable access to higher education for previously disadvantaged learners, with diverse educational backgrounds (Hardman Ngambi, 2003). Education is viewed as one of the key mechanisms of achieving social transformation. It is in this educational context that new opportunities for educational technology have arisen. Although we are aware that educational challenges demand multi-pronged approaches, which may include both traditional teaching approaches and innovative non- digital instructional designs, it is the role of educational technology that is the focus of this paper. Specific teaching and learning challenges The major teaching and learning challenges facing higher education revolve around student diversity, which includes, amongst others, diversity in students academic preparedness, language and schooling background. Teaching and learning in higher education in general can largely be characterised as follows: [] instruction that is too didactic, a lack of personal contact between teachers andstudents and among students, assessment methods that are inadequate to measuresophisticated learning goals and too little opportunity for students to integrate knowledgefrom different fields and apply what they learn to the solution of real-world problems.(Knapper, 2001: 94) Teaching and learning in Indian higher education fits the above description but in addition it has to contend with deep-rooted complex issues and problems stemming primarily from a previously racially divided and unequal education system. In addition, large classes are an endemic feature of most university courses posing an additional challenge in the teaching of a diverse student population. Indian higher education institutions are faced with a myriad teaching and learning challenges. In this paper we focus on a few of these: academic preparedness, multilingulism in a first language context, large classes and inadequate curriculum design. In the next section, we look at ways in which ICTs have been used to respond to these challenges at one Indian higher education institution. Academic preparedness Students from disadvantaged educational backgrounds as well students from privileged backgrounds generally enter higher education with gaps in the knowledge and skills required for studying particularly in key areas such as mathematics (Paras, 2001, Howie Pietersen, 2001) and science. Given the pressure to increase the diversity of the student population of Indian higher education, assessing students potential for success in higher education has gained increasing importance, particularly since the school-leaving certificate is currently viewed as an inadequate measure of a students potential for success in higher education. In a country such as India, for instance, school-leaving certification has had aparticularly unreliable relationship with higher education academic performance especiallyin cases where this certification intersects with factors such as mother tongue versusmedium-of instruction differences, inadequate school backgrounds and demographicvariables such as race and socio-economic status (Yeld, 2001; Badha, et al, 1986;Scochet, 1986; Potter Jamotte, 1985). (Cliff et al., 2003) Alternative placement tests have therefore been used in conjunction with school-leaving certificates to admit students with potential into higher education studies (Cliff et al., 2003). Consequently, many of these students may be under-prepared in that they may not possess the necessary language or mathematical proficiencies required for higher education or may have gaps in the foundational disciplinary knowledge. Furthermore, university tasks present challenges for under-prepared students (Hardman Ngambi, 2003). Although support programmes to address academic under-preparedness of students from both advantaged as well as disadvantaged groups are offered at many Indian higher education institutions, they are resource intensive. It is therefore worth paying attention to additional resources and expertise offered by educational technology. Multilingualism in a first language environment India is a multilingual society with 11 official languages. This diversity is reflected in the student population of Indian higher education institutions. A recent study by Czerniewicz Brown (2005) on higher education students and academic staffs access to and use of computers in five Indian universities found that 39% of respondents spoke English as a home language and 54% spoke other languages. At the University of Cape Town, on average 65% of the student population declared English as their first language while 35% have home languages in the other Indian official languages and other international languages (Spiegel et al., 2003). English is therefore a second or foreign language for many Indian higher education students. In most black Indian schools, English as a subject is taught as a second language. Higher education students from disadvantaged educational backgrounds therefore have to learn in their second or third language. A considerable body of research (Cummins, 1996; Gee, 1990) has shown that language and academic success are closely related and that academic language proficiency is far more difficult to acquire in a second language. Students learning in their second or third language are therefore at a disadvantage which is compounded by poor schooling background. The relationship between language and academic success is reflected in the throughput rates of English second language students when compared to the throughput rates of English first language students. At the University of Cape Town, for example, the difference in throughput rates between English first language and second language students in 2002 was more than 20% in several degrees/programmes (Spiegel et al., 2003). Large classes The growth of mass higher education has made large classes an endemic feature of several courses at higher education institutions. Large class sizes make it difficult for teachers to employ interactive teaching strategies (Nicol Boyle, 2003) or to gain insight into the difficulties experienced by students. Large classes pose problems for all students but students who are under-prepared are particularly affected. It is these contexts that provide useful opportunities for educational technologies. Curriculum design Curriculum design is a relatively under-engaged area within higher education debate, policy formulation and practices (Barnett Coate, 2005). Pressure to transform curricula at a macrolevel to the needs of industry and the economy in India is reflected in the National commission on higher educations policy framework (1996) for higher education transformation. There is a strong inclination towards closed-system disciplinary approaches andprogrammes that has led to inadequately contextualised teaching and research. Thecontent of the knowledge produced and disseminated is insufficiently responsive to theproblems and needs of the African continent, the southern African region, or the vastnumbers of poor and rural people in our society.In response to policy intentions, Indian higher education has implemented a curriculum restructuring policy aimed at the development of inter- or multidisciplinary degree programmes (Moore, 2003). While policy has resulted in curriculum shifts on a macro le vel, curricula contents at a micro-level are driven by disciplinary specialists. Undergraduate curricula remain predominantly theoretical but require that students have some knowledge of the contexts to make sense of theory. In this paper, we are concerned with the way in which ICTs can play a role in shaping curriculum design at the micro-level. ICTs open up new ways of accessing information thereby changing the relationships between students and between students and their teachers. Access to primary sources in the form of video, audio and photographs which may be contained in digital archives have the potential to influence the content of curricula because it makes previously inaccessible information available. In addition, ICTs enable lecturers to transform their teaching practices by facilitating student-student discussion and collaboration or by simulating ‘real-world problems thus providing students with authentic learning experiences. In this section, we discussed some of the teaching and learning challenges experienced by educators and students in higher education. In the next section, we examine the role of educational technology in responding to these challenges and provide some examples. RESPONDING TO THE CHALLENGES Since the teaching and learning challenges are multi-faceted, multi-pronged approaches are needed in order to attempt to solve some of these problems. Dede (1998) postulates: [] information technology is a cost-effective investment only in the context of a systemicreform. Unless other simultaneous innovations in pedagogy, curriculum, assessment, andschool organization are coupled to the usage of instructional technology, the time and effortexpended on implementing these devices produces few improvements in educationaloutcomes and reinforces many educators cynicism about fads based on magicalmachines. We infer from Dede that there are several inter-related factors that influence improvements in educational outcomes. Thus together, pedagogy, curriculum, assessment and organisation contribute to bringing about improvements in the educational process. Although educational technology is not the panacea for educational challenges, it does leverage and extend traditional teaching and learning activities in certain circumstances and hence has the potential to impact on learning outcomes. Knapper (2001) argues that: [] technology may be a good solution for some instructional problems, and in some casesit may be a partial solution. But in other instances technology does little to address thefundamental teaching and learning issue or even worse provides a glitzy butinappropriate solution to a problem that has simply been misconstrued. (Knapper, 2001:94) The trick is to identify situations where educational technology will be appropriate and when and how to use educational technology in these situations. There are times where technology may not be useful and may indeed be counter-productive. However, there are many times when educational technology offers a solution for problems that would be difficult, cumbersome or impossible to resolve in a face-to-face environment. Numerous manuals, websites and articles have been devoted to suggesting, explaining and modelling the ways that educational technology can be used to support teaching and learning. We agree with Laurillard (2001) that it is important that educational technology-based resources be appropriately matched to both teaching and learning activities. Table 1 adapted from Laurillard (2001) usefully explains how educational technology can be integrated into the curriculum. Laurillards guidelines are useful in that they provide a framework which relates ICT-based resources to particular teaching and learning activities. The guidelines therefore suggest particular uses of ICT for particular teaching and learning situations. The effectiveness of ICTs for teaching and learning, however, is largely dependent on how much the context is understood. Thus, there is a need to relate educational technology to actual challenges experienced by both students and lecturers in the Indian educational context. OHagan (1999) suggests that educational technology can be used to present and provide content, assess students learning, provide feedback, scaffold student learning and enable peer-to-peer collaborative learning. The choice of appropriate teaching and learning activities is dependent on a range of factors such as the curriculum or course objectives; i.e. the purpose of the teaching and learning, the educators preferred teaching approach, the learning styles of the student and the nature of the curriculum content. Although we advocate that teachers should use the teaching approach that suits their paradigm of teaching and learning, we believe that the use of educational technology provides teachers with opportunities for traversing an entire continuum of possibilities as may be appropriate to their teaching needs. Educational technology creates affordances for a range of different teaching and learning activities which the teacher may not have used or considered. Table 1: Teaching and learning events and associated media forms Responding to the challenges: examples from curriculum projects The affordances of educational technologies provide ways of being sensitive to wide-ranging and differing learning needs. In this section, we describe some curriculum projects that have attempted to respond to some of the educational challenges faced by students at the University of Cape Town (UCT). For the sake of brevity only overviews are provided. Using interactive spreadsheets to develop mathematical literacy skills As discussed above, many under-prepared students entering university have potential but do not possess the relevant mathematical literacy skills required for certain courses (Frith et al., 2004). These students are often expected to pursue an extended undergraduate degree programme that offers additional support to address mathematical literacy skills. In this case, the teaching challenge is that of finding ways of developing students mathematical literacy skills. Selfcontained interactive spreadsheet-based tutorials were developed for use on the mathematical literacy support courses at UCT and were used in conjunction with face-to-face lectures. A typical tutorial consisted of interactive presentation of relevant mathematics content, examples and exercises. Students were able to work at their own pace and receive immediate feedback. Frith et al. (2004: 163) found that ‘while the lecture room tutorial taught students how to calculate the various statistics, the computer tutoria l was more effective in giving them an understanding of the concepts and they retained better what they had learned. This effect, they argue, is possible due to the shift in emphasis in the computer-based tutorials away from mechanical calculations to demonstrating conceptual understanding. This curriculum project illustrates how educational technology was used to complement teaching and learning and to support the development of students mathematical literacy skills. Using educational technology to develop academic literacy in an economics course Economics at university level poses particular difficulties for students since lecturers assume prior knowledge of the economy. Unfortunately, many students from previously disadvantaged communities have very limited knowledge of the economy at the start of their university careers. Under-prepared first year students encounter further difficulties due to a lack of academic literacy skills. The Industry Research Project (Carr et al., 2002) was designed to address economic literacy while simultaneously dealing with language and communication skills of UCT economic students. Interactive excel spreadsheets in conjunction with short writing tasks in the form of online discussions, short essays, reports and presentations were used in academic development economics courses at UCT. These tasks or activities provided a range of opportunities for students to develop understanding of economic discourses through writing in economics. Although Carr et al. (2002: 5) found it difficult to measure t he impact of these tutorials, which formed a small part of the first year economics curriculum, they observed that the interactive spreadsheets were effective teaching tools in that tutors were able to focus students attention on economics issues rather than procedural issues and that the quality of articles produced by students improved due to the online feedback provided during the process of drafting articles online. This curriculum project demonstrates the use of educational technology in conjunction with face-to-face activities in addressing students academic literacy skills. Using educational technology to manage tutorials in large classes Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) based tutorials system called MOVES were developed around Excel and Word to teach computer literacy to first year Information System students at UCT. MOVES incorporated computer-assisted marking techniques and provided feedback to lecturers and students. The significance of this project is that it typifies the problems of teaching a large and diverse class. The computer literacy levels of these students are diverse, with some students not havingtouched a computer before to students who have had home computer and internet facilitiessince the age of five. The immediate challenge this diversity poses on teaching is that it isnot practical to pitch the lecture at an appropriate level to meet all students at their level ofknowledge. The other challenge is in providing feedback messages that are relevant anduseful to individual students. (Ngambi Seymour, 2004: 255). Ngambi and Seymour (2004: 257) report that the MOVES tutorials saved time for tutors since tutorials were marked and results captured electronically, lecturers had access to student performance and students found the immediate feedback useful in that misconceptions could be dealt with immediately. The significance of this project is that it illustrates how educational technology is used to facilitate teaching and learning in large classes. Influencing curriculum design Many university courses are theory driven and assume that students have knowledge or real world experience and can therefore make the links between theory and practice. Students often have limited experience or practical knowledge and therefore have difficulty in understanding theory. Deacon et al. (2005) report on the use of educational technology to simulate film editing. The Directors Cut was produced and used in a Film and Media course at UCT to provide students with insights into the practical processes involved in filmmaking without engaging in the actual process of editing. Exposing students to actual editing is expensive and impractical in a large course. The intervention provided individual students with an authentic learning environment through a simulation. Students sequenced film clips, hence simulating the role of an editor through a simplified version of the editing process. In this way, the focus is on key learning aspects of film narrative and spectatorship and linked theory to the ‘practice of film editing. Similarly, Carr et al. (2004) report on an International Trade bargaining simulation developed for an economics course where students assumed the role of national trade negotiators representing specific countries. Lecturers and tutors assumed the role of World Trade Organisation (WTO) officials in a semi-authentic process designed to teach students negotiation and bargaining skills similar to those required by professional trade negotiators. The two projects reported here exemplify ways in which educational technology was used to impact on the design of the respective curricula by providing students with experiences which are difficult to provide in face-to-face environments. CONCLUSION Indian universities face increasing pressure from government to meet the needs of social transformation in education. Indian government policy on social transformation in education requires increasing the representation of Black Indians and women among students and graduates and significantly improving the graduation rates and throughput of Black Indian students. Given the social-historical context of India, meeting the educational challenges associated with this noble goal requires re-conceptualisation of how educational technologies are applied so as to make an impact. The paper has proposed a model for teaching and learning activities that are associated with media forms. The model has been substantiated with examples of the application of educational technologies to teaching mathematical literacy, academic literacy, management of large classes, and ways of influencing curriculum design. Our argument is that technology alone is not a solution to the educational challenges faced in India. The challenges lie in identifying and conceptualising ways that educational technology can usefully contribute to student learning experiences, curriculum and pedagogical designs. The paper demonstrates and argues that educational technology has a key role to play in Indian higher education as one of the strategies for addressing teaching and learning concerns. This challenges learning designers to rethink the role of educational technology within broader educational interventions that are shaped by educational needs rather than being technologically driven.

Cell Phone Use :: Technology Essays

Cell Phone Use With technology on the rise, an important issue of social interaction and communication has risen with it. Many people have become heavily dependent on technology, unable to make it through a normal day without it. Granted, technology has provided society with many beneficial inventions, and for that we are grateful; yet, the sense of community that once resided around our homes has seemed to have all but diminished. For every branch of expansion this new technology â€Å"tree† grows, a new root ensnaring society grows with it, causing us to become ever more dependent on technology. I have found that many people are oblivious to the clear cause and affect system that is inseparable from growing technology. Being a student at a Public University, I have noticed an increasing amount of students who talk on their cell phones between classes. It has gone unnoticed that this limits the amount of interaction among students on the campus. With people ranting all over the media about what great opportunities technology provides to reach those across the globe, I began to wonder if technology was actually holding a positive effect of society. I wanted to find out how others viewed the situation. I decided that a good way for this to be done was by survey. In conducting this survey, I chose to question twenty random students at James Madison University. The survey was given at the on campus food court, PC Dukes. Its purpose was to investigate the topic of cells phones, attempting to discover whether cell phones expand our everyday life or if they constrict us to our own individual world. While eighteen students of the twenty surveyed felt cell phones actually do expand their life, a more in depth look was necessary. Other questions on the survey (questions four, five, six, and nine) contradicted this statement. For example, ten students who found their life to be expanded felt that they would be more socially active if they did not have cell phones. To me, this shows that cell phones keep people from reaching out and meeting new friends. I feel this is largely due to the fact that with cell phones, people are extremely easy to get in touch with. By having this luxury, a small group of friends can stay closer and more sociable with each other rather than keeping a large group of friends.

To Accept or Reject the Risk of Error :: essays research papers

â€Å"To accept anything as true means to incur the risk of error. If I limit myself to knowledge that I consider true beyond doubt, I minimize the risk of error, but at the same time I maximize the risk of missing out on what may be the subtlest, most important, and most rewarding things in life†. That was on page three of E.F. Schumacher’s A Guide for the Perplexed. It was included on the third page on the text because it is one of the most important reoccurring themes throughout the book.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Schumacher means that if we only consider things of proven fact then we would be missing out on the rest of the world. If we only concentrate on what is proven then we will miss out on what is unproven thus far but could eventually be proven. Schumacher stresses his point by using the philosopher Renee Descartes. Schumacher says, â€Å"Descartes limits his interest to knowledge and ideas that are precise and certain beyond any possibility of doubt, because his primary interest is that we should become ‘masters and possessors of nature.’ Nothing can be precise unless it can be quantified in one way or another† (9).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Descartes means that humans are the Supreme Being reining the earth and we should know everything about it. We should only accept the facts that are precise and clear cut. Everything has a reason, and it is our job as humans to know what that reason is. Schumacher takes this discussion further by analyzing the ideas of the philosopher Immanual Kant. In talking about Kant, Schumacher said, â€Å"Neither mathematics nor physics can entertain the qualitative notion of ‘higher’ or ‘lower.’ So the vertical dimension disappeared from the philosophical maps, which henceforth concentrated on somewhat farfetched problems, such as ‘Do other people exist?’ or ‘How can I know anything at all?’ or ‘Do other people have experiences analogous to mine?’† (11). Vertical dimension is clarified on page 12 where Schumacher states, â€Å"The loss of the vertical dimension meant that it was no longer possible to give an answer, other than a utilitarian one†. Schumacher also discusses Plorinus’s Adaequatio philosophy. Schumacher said, â€Å"This is the Great Truth of â€Å"adaequatio† (adequateness), which defines knowledge as adaequatio rei et intellectus – the understanding of the knower must be adequate to the thing to be known† (39). By knowing just the things that are adequate for our understanding we are leaving so much behind.

Information about current influences on planning Essay

1. Every child matter influences planning and provision of learning opportunities The National Curriculum is the starting point for planning a school curriculum that meets the specific needs of individuals and groups of pupils. This statutory inclusion statement on providing effective learning opportunities for all pupils outlines how teachers can modify, as necessary, the National Curriculum programmes of study to provide all pupils with relevant and appropriately challenging work at each key stage. Child care act 2006 influences planning and provision of learning opportunities this act states that early years providers have a duty to implement the EYFS. We do this by meeting the learning and development requirements when doing our weekly planning and we also comply with the welfare requirements. Child care act does this to ensure that it is very important to follow rules and regulations to ensure that the children are at the right stages of development in life. SEN code of practice 2002 influences planning and provision of learning opportunities areas covered include the definition of special educational needs, parental responsibility and working partnership with parents. The code also looks at: involving pupils in assessment and decision-making; provision in the Early Years; primary and secondary education; statutory assessment of children under compulsory school age; and the role of the special educational needs coordinator. (2013) Special Educational Needs: Code of Practice. The SEN code do this to ensure that disability children do not miss out on key learning development and also to make sure that they do not feel left out or intimidated. Equality act 2010 influences planning and provision of learning opportunities this act makes sure that no one gets treated differently to anybody else this helps planning and provision because it makes sure that staff have to make sure that when they plan a activity or a lesson plan it’s got to be able to involve everyone and make sure that it suits all individual needs. ‘’ Objectives must be appropriate, focusing on the most pressing equality  gaps.’’ 2. Inspectors found that where assessment was underdeveloped it tended to focus more on children’s welfare or their interests, rather than their learning. Self-evaluation and action-planning was too often seen by childcare providers as something that had to be done for Ofsted rather than a means of improving outcome for children. However, outcomes for children were no better than satisfactory in any of the providers where self-evaluation was inadequate (2011) Press release: A good start for the Early Years Foundation Stage. Ofsted make sure that it is seen to be important to plan different types of learning opportunities for the children as this helps to develop the children’s skills in a variety of way. For example ofsted inspect schools by sitting in on different subjects and different teacher’s lessons, they do this to make sure that everyone is doing it as correctly as they aspect to see. 3. The curriculum frameworks like the EYFS influence planning and provision of learning opportunities. The term curriculum is used to describe everything children do, see, hear or feel in their setting, both planned and unplanned. The Early Years Foundation Stage is the statutory framework against which providers of early education are judged, and includes requirements for the provision of young children’s learning and development, and welfare. The report focuses particularly on two areas of learning: personal, social and emotional development; and communication, language and literacy skills. 4. Learning through landscapes supports families in the early years by showing children the outdoors and learning them new activities such as gardening and discovering nature with their own opinions and physically learning by touch and seeing things from their point of view. â€Å"I believe the work of Learning through Landscapes is needed even more than ever. I hope  you will share our passion for giving children opportunities for discovery and learning that will illuminate their entire lives.† Attenborough.D (2005) Learning through Landscapes.   EPPSE (3-14) supports families in the early years by making sure those children do get assessed at the age of 3 before they go to pre-school and then the child will be monitored until they do enter school. This helps by knowing what the child abilities are being noticed and noted. ‘’ More than 3,000 children were assessed at the start of pre-school around the age of 3 and their development was monitored until they en tered school around the age of 5.’’ Leading education and social research (Updated 2013) Effective Pre-School, Primary & Secondary Education (EPPSE).   Primary and Secondary Education 3-14 (EPPSE 3-14 project) a major longitudinal study investigating the influence of pre-school, primary and secondary school on children’s cognitive and social/behavioural development in England. The transitions sub-study of more than 500 children and families sheds light on current transition practices and highlights what helps and hinders a successful transition. Evangelou.M (2008) Effective Pre-school, Primary and Secondary Education 3-14 Project (EPPSE 3-14).   Neighbourhood nurseries support families in the early years by making sure that families can get to close nursery without struggling and panicking that they cannot reach a nursery which prevents the child even going into nursery. ‘’The Neighbourhood Nurseries Initiative (NNI) aims to expand childcare provision in the 20% most disadvantaged areas of Engla nd by creating 45,000 new day-care places for children aged nought to five.’’

Book Report †Middle School Series Essay

? Rafe Khatchadorian has enough issues around his family life, without throwing his first year of middle school into the mix. Luckily, he’s got an incredible plan for the best year ever, if only he can pull it off. With his best friend Leonardo the Silent awarding him points, Rafe tries to break every rule in his school’s Code of Conduct. Having gum in class scores him 5,000 points, running through the hallways, another 10,000 points and pulling the fire alarm, 50,000 points! But not everyone thinks that Rafe’s game is a good idea, especially the teachers, parents and other students at the school, so he’ll have to decide if winning is all that matters, or if he’s finally ready to face the rules, bullies, and truths he’s been avoiding. http://www. jamespatterson. com/books_middleSchool. php#. UWY9FFdstN4 Middle School the Worst Years of My Life is written by James Patterson and is a realistic fiction book that takes you through the journey of Rafe’s first year at middle school, dealing with the awkwardness of crushes, bullies, and family issues as he tries to break every rule in the school’s Code of Conduct. The book features many different pictures that tell you what’s going on as well, and is considered a graphic novel. Middle School the Worst Years of my Life received a critical acclaim from the most reviewers, it won the YALSA 2012’s Top Ten Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Readers award and James Patterson got nominated for the Children’s Book Council’s Author of the Year award. James has written well over 50 books, a lot of them being in series, and has won many awards. Middle School the Worst Years of My Life is the first book in the Middle School series. The setting of the Middle School series is in middle school. There is no specific day or time that this book is set in, other than it being during middle school. A lot of the time the rules that are broken are broken within the school timing, but there are one or two rules that get broken out of school times. I think the setting has been chosen well, and believed it suited the book well. The novel starts with Rafe entering sixth grade at Hills Village Middle School. Beginning the new school year with a negative mindset means that Rafe starts the year bored and believes that ‘it was a prison Pilgrims back then, but not too much has changed. Now it’s a prison for sixth, seventh and eighth graders. ’ Rafe quickly understands that he will be stuck in middle school for 3 years, and invents â€Å"Operation R. A. F. E. † with his best friend Leonardo the Silent. The plan was to break every single rule in the schools handbook. He also has to put up with the issues in his home life. His mum is always working double shifts at a diner and never gets time with her children, Rafe, and Rafe’s younger sister, Georgia. He has a verbally abusive stepfather (Bear) who looks after him when his mother is away. Then, there’s Jeanne Galletta, who Rafe is madly in love with. Jeanne is a doubtful of Rafe’s plan and wishes he would spend more time on school work then his games. Operation R. A. F. E’s consequences consists of many detentions with his English teacher, Ms. Donatello. This creates tension between Rafe’s family, and after having a fight with Bear about Leonardo and how he is a bad influence on Rafe, we discover that Leonardo is Rafe’s imaginary friend. Rafe’s actions eventually lead to bad grades, getting himself suspended, and then forced to be tutored by Jeanne, whom he had been trying to avoid because she doesn‘t like him. While the tension in the family gets stronger, Bear throws Rafe’s mother to the ground and moves out, Rafe gets expelled for spraying graffiti on the school walls, but Ms. Donatello see’s the potential artist within him and comes up with the idea to send him to art school. The final part of the book reveals that Leonardo is Rafe’s dead twin brother. An exciting part of the novel is when Rafe graffiti’s the school wall at four in the morning. ‘The next morning, I left a note for Mom saying that I had to go to school extra early to work on a project, which was basically true. I just left out the part about how early meant four in the morning and project meant highly illegal activity. â€Å"You’re not going to regret this,† Leo kept telling me. The way he saw it, the whole point of Operation R. A. F. E. was about breaking rules, so why should I let a little thing like losing the game stop me from doing the part I’d been looking forward to the most? Like I said before – genius†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦I unpacked my new flat black marker, a big old camping flashlight, and some of my latest practice sketches. I’d drawn these ones on graph paper, which is kind of like a brick wall, to show me how big everything would need to be. But Leo was feeling impatient, â€Å"You don’t need those anymore,† he said. â€Å"The clock’s ticking. Stop thinking so much and just go. † So I did. I set up the flashlight on a rock so that it was shining right at the wall. Then I picked up my marker and started. It was king of slow-moving at the beginning. I wasn’t sure what to draw first, or what order to do things in. But the more I kept going, the more I got into it, and then somewhere along the way everything started to flow†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. After a while I was running around like crazy, working over here, working over there and getting up on an old trash can to reach the higher parts when I needed to. The whole thing started to get so big that I felt like I was inside it, even while I was still drawing. It was like Leo had said – I wasn’t thinking anymore. I was just doing it, like the marker was just another part of me, and the lines and shapes and pictures were coming right out of my hand. ’ After a while, the police show up, and are surprised that a kid had done all that work, but then again, it was illegal, so into the cop car went Rafe and Leo. I like this part of the novel because I felt as if I was in the actual scene. It was as if I was Leo and I was scared we’d get caught. This scene, although it’s short, it was intense. You didn’t want Rafe to get caught, but you wanted to know what would have happened when he got caught. I just believe that the way this chapter/scene has been written makes it believable and makes you feel like you’re there. The style of this novel is average pace. The novel begins out very slowly, and it doesn’t have much meaning, but once the novel gets a fair way into it, the drama begins, and the pace slowly picks up. At the end of the novel, things get more intense and more happens in a shorter amount of time, and by the end of the novel, so much has happened, that it takes a while to comprehend what has happened, but you realise that James wrote it that way for a reason, and to me, that reason was so that he could have a short book, that had a lot in it, and might eventually be able to make a movie, much like the Diary of a Wimpy Kid movies. The Worst Years of my Life uses a lot of slang humour, but not so much that it’s over powering, it’s just enough that it creates the characteristics of the book. A genre is the category of artistic composition, as in music or literature, characterized by similarities in form, style, or subject matter. There are several genre’s the feature in this novel, some more than others. The genres that feature heavily in Middle School the Worst Years of My Life are: Comedy Humour Drama The genre that is featured in the book, but not as heavily is romance. Have you ever had a crush on someone and had them not like you back? Romance is a feeling of excitement and mystery associated with love. Rafe Khatchadorian discovers his feelings for Jeanne Galletta on one of his first days at school. They were all sitting in the school gym and she was one of the candidates for the student council representatives and part way through or speech, she offers to buy Rafe fries later that day, and that’s when he knew he liked her. Towards the end of the novel, Rafe’s grades start to go downhill and the school as well as his Mum think it’s a good idea to get some extra help. Little did Rafe know that his dream girl Jeanne was going to be his tutor. Even though Rafe is a teenage boy who likes girls, middle school would not be any good without a sense of humor or a comedian mixed into the scene. The biggest class clown in the school is here, and his name? Rafe Khatchadorian. A class clown is the funniest person in the class who often gets in trouble. Rafe’s first year at middle school is spent trouble making and trying to make people laugh, but not everyone thinks that his plan to break every rule in the Code of Conduct. Miller the Killer was the school bully, and his new prey is Rafe. Throughout Rafe’s middle school year, he comes into conflict with Miller many times. The biggest thing that happens to Rafe because of Miller the Killer is when he discovers Rafe’s notebook with all the Operation R. A. F. E. (Rules Aren’t For Everyone) and makes Rafe buy each page back off of him for a dollar a page, but Rafe discovers Miller’s plan with the notebook early on, and it isn’t pretty. Miller the Killer enjoys making Rafe’s first year at middle school hell, but Rafe enjoys the humorous side of school. School is tough on everyone, so what’s the best way to get through? Have fun! And that’s what Rafe intends to do by breaking all the rules in the Code of Conduct and earning himself points. The catch is, he only gets given three lives, and if he breaks all three, the games over. All the seriousness aside, Rafe gives himself, and Leo a good laugh. The funniest scene in the book to me was when Rafe decides to break the schools dress code, and he was given the best chance to do this with Halloween just around the corner. Leo knew that it would only be a matter of time before Rafe was caught by a teacher, so Leo was giving him 10,000 points for every 50 yards of the school he covered in his costume. Rafe ran, as fast as he could in all black, with a pocket full of Cheerios as throwing stars, and nunchucks made from paper towel roles with rope knotted at either end. Yep, you guessed it. Rafe was a ninja. ‘I came tearing out of that bathroom at full speed and just kept running – through the first floor (10,000! ), up the stairs (10,000! ), down the second floor hall past all the lockers (10,000! ), throwing Cheerios and swinging my nunchucks like crazy. ’ Right before he got caught, Miller the Killer was right in his aim. ‘I made sure my mask was pulled down tight over my face. Then I took a big windup as I went by, and beaned him upside the head with one of the chucks (10,000! ). â€Å"What the – ? † Miller turned the wrong way, just as I passed him. By the time he’d figured out where I came from and where I was headed, I’d already left him in the dust. He was twice as big as me, but I was twice as fast. Eat it, Miller! ’ And then it happened. Caught right in the act. Yep, a teacher saw him†¦ Well, he ran into the teacher. Games over Rafe. ‘And then – splam! I ran right into Mrs. Stricker. Literally. Let’s just say, she wasn’t in the mood for wrestling. ’ But Rafe had another plan and it was going to earn him double points. ‘I went into the bathroom and came out a minute later without my ninja costume, running just as fast as before. Some kids got out of my way. Some even ran in the other direction. A few of the girls screamed when I cam2 through, but I don’t think they meant it. And a few people even yelled stuff like â€Å"Go, Rafe, go! † and â€Å"Don’t let ‘em get you! † Because, like I said, I wasn’t wearing my ninja costume anymore. In fact, I wasn’t wearing much of anything at all. ’ No, he wasn’t naked, but he wasn’t wearing much†¦ ‘Just sneakers, a pair of boxers, and a big old smile. Boy, did Rafe get in big trouble for that, but on the other hand, he did earn himself a lot of points! Rafe loves making people laugh, and I believe that the reason he does it isn’t for other people, but he does it to make himself feel good. I believe that the main theme in this novel is coming of age and growing up into a better person in a way. To me, I think this means that by using the resources that are around you (family, friends etc. ) to become the person you are supposed to be. For Rafe, this is trying to get over his prank, funny, humorous stage, and into the more serious schooling stage. This can be hard for some people, especially when they don’t get along with their family, and when their only friend is in their imagination, but by the end of the book, Rafe has realised that even though he isn’t academically smart, he does have a gift with art, which sees him going to art school. Love is also in the novel, as Rafe discovers Jeanne Galletta, but it doesn’t impact on the story as much as growing up does. The main characters in the book are: Rafael (Rafe) Khatchadorian – Rafe is the trouble maker in the story who is in his first year at Hills Village Middle School. Rafe is important because without him, there is no story. I like this character because he makes the book fun. Even though he isn’t an actual person, this character has a funny personality and a childish sense of humour. I believe that James Patterson has described this character well. Georgia Khatchadorian – Georgia is Rafe’s annoying little sister who likes to be in everyone’s business and know what’s going on in Rafe’s life, especially when he is in trouble. She is also the family tattletale and always dobs Rafe in when she catches him doing something wrong. Even though Georgia annoys Rafe a lot, he also protects her, which is like all siblings love-hate relationships. I like her because I think I can relate to her because I am the younger sister in my family, and I like to annoy my older brother, but I also know that he will always be there for me. I think that Georgia is a main character in this story because she is a part of Rafe’s home issues because she never leaves him alone and always wants to know what’s going on in his life. Carl AKA Bear – Bear is Georgia and Rafe’s, abusive, rude, obese stepdad who can be found on the couch. Bear is often yelling at Rafe after school. He also argues with Mrs. Khatchadorian, Rafe and Georgia’s mum, and one argument let Bear to accidently push her down the front steps, and when the police show up, it doesn’t look good for Carl. I don’t like him at all! He’s so rude and obnoxious, and I would hate to have a step parent as bad as him. Leonardo (Leo) the Silent – Leo is Rafe’s best friend, who we later discover is in his imagination. We also later find out that Leo was Rafe’s twin brother who died when he was still a baby. I think that Leo is the glue that holds everything together. He helps Rafe with school, with home, and he gives him the motivation to keep going when things get tough. I really like Leo the Silent because even though he isn’t real, he is the perfect best friend. Jeanne (Jay-Gee) Galletta – Jeanne is Rafe’s crush. He is madly in love with her, but she is also the goody-two-shoes of the school, and she hates Operation R. A. F. E. I like her but I don’t. I feel like she tries too hard to be a good student, and doesn’t give herself enough freedom, which is why I don’t like her. I think that being a teenager, or getting to that stage  means that you can manage school and social life, and to me, it’s like she has no social life. She’s important in the story because as we get older, we start to see people in different ways, and we start to like them, and I believe that Jeanne is important because without her, it’s not a real adolescent’s life. Ms. Donatello AKA the Dragon Lady – Ms. Donatello is Rafe’s English teacher, as well as his detention buddy. Even though she is strict and can get aggravated easily, she also has Rafe’s best interest at heart and wouldn’t help him if she didn’t believe he was better than what he shows. I like her because I have had plenty of teachers that are hard on me, but they do it because they want what’s best, and without that push, we wouldn’t grow and evolve as people. I understand why Rafe doesn’t particular like her, but teachers always want what’s best, and he will eventually see that. Miller AKA Miller the Killer – Miller is the school bully, hence the name ‘Miller the Killer. ’ He is constantly giving Rafe a hard time throughout his first year at middle school, and without the school bully, school wouldn’t be school. There is always that one person that puts people down to make themselves feel good, although not a lot of bullies take kids lunch money, but hurt them mentally, or even physically. I don’t like Miller because I believe that he hurts people because he can and he needs to get disciplined. Without Miller, or a bully in the book, it wouldn’t be like school life, so I can understand why James Patterson included him in it. I’m not much of a reader, but I really enjoyed this book, and I found it easy to understand and comprehend because of the little sketches throughout the book. This book is much like the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, and I believe it is aimed at the same kind of age group. I think that I was too old to read this novel, but I didn’t find it so easy that I could just read it in a day, but not hard enough that it took me forever to read. It was a good balance, so I would suggest it for kids 13 years old and younger, somewhere between 9 and 13. To be honest, it was a good book, but it could have been made longer so not everything happened at once towards the end. In general, it was a good read, and I would recommend it to younger kids who enjoy having a good laugh and getting into trouble.