Action Research Topic Literature Exploration free essay sample

Education plays an important role for individuals to fully reach their potential and it also substantially contributes to the development of the society as a whole. The processes of teaching and learning are greatly embodied in the concept of education wherein educators help students to learn knowledge and acquire skills about different subject matters and fields. However, most people, especially those who belong to the middle and lower class, often have the perception that education is a privilege rather than a right because for them good education usually comes with high cost. Nevertheless, the government of most countries, like the United States of America provide education for those people who cannot afford to spend a large sum of money for education through public schools. The problem is for proper and good education to be fully realized in public schools, stakeholders should give due consideration and attention to several factors such as: school budget, competent educators, active participation of parents, standardize school system, and many others (Hochschild Scovronick, 2004). We will write a custom essay sample on Action Research Topic: Literature Exploration or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page In most public urban schools in the United the States, the common issues are: the insufficient funds coming from the government, the lack of support coming from parents, and school violence. Among the many problems of educational institutions, one of the most common issues that almost all public schools complain about is the insufficient fund or budget that is given to education. According to the study of Maguad (2007) entitled: Lean Strategies for Education: Overcoming the Waste Factor, teaching and learning are regarded as important activities in school but these processes are largely driven by financial realities. Maguad pointed out in his study that most educational institutions, especially public schools have to face financial problems that have a huge effect in the quality of education that they render to students. Educational programs cost money, which any educators and other stakeholders in educational institutions are aware of. Being the case, efficient funding and competent budgeting is necessary in order for schools to operate properly. Maguad even cited the work of Thomson and Wood, which state that the lack of good budget will eventually result to the absence of schools. In line with this, he also described the relationship of funds and the school system where sources of funds are finite while educational needs are infinite, which is why it is necessary that the prioritization of programs are done (Maguad, 2007). In the study of Maguad, he acknowledged the lack of sufficient funding in education institutions, especially in public schools. The lack of budget is rooted from the very relationship of funds and educational needs because the former is regarded as finite while the latter is infinite. Due to the problem of most schools regarding insufficient funds coming from the government, Maguad proposed in his study that schools must take the delicate responsibility of balancing anticipated revenue resources with the planned expenditure of the school.   In cases where in revenues are inadequate, school programs needs to be scaled back. The condition of static and declining revenues usually entails that schools require cutting costs. Maguad suggested that the less painful way in order to address the lack of funds of schools is by improving the operational efficiency of the educational system through the elimination of waste using lean techniques. Waste is defined as â€Å"anything in the process that does not add value for the customer† (Maguad, 2007: 249). The process of waste reduction can be done by means of disseminating individual and organizational learning throughout the whole organization (Maguad, 2007). The study of Maguad indeed shed more light on the problem of schools regarding insufficient funds coming from the government. He was able to point out the importance of sufficient funds and competent budgeting in order for educators to establish programs that will substantially help in the teaching and learning process among educators and teachers. In relation to this, Maguad also explain the relationship of the sources of funds and educational needs in order to explain the cause of insufficient funding. However, the proposed solution of Maguad that entails balancing school revenue and expenses used at schools by eliminating waste still needs to be further proven. Maguad should also give due attention to schools that really lack budget to the point that they do not even have waste to start with because funds are very limited. Moreover, Maguad should also further emphasize on the other ways of accumulating funds that involve the active participation of the private sector. Another pressing problem in schools, especially those that is funded by the government is the lack of active participation of parents. Both the mother and father of most students usually have their respective works. The parents of children in public schools have to work in order for them to earn the necessary income to provide for their family, especially for the needs of their children. However, work usually gets in the way of most parents to play an active role in the learning process of students. Parents’ involvement in the studying of their children is necessary because educators need their participation in order to properly teach and guide students. The aforementioned adage is proven in the research study of Fan and Chen entitled: Parental Involvement and Students’ Academic Achievement: A Meta-Analysis. According to Fan and Chen (2001), the idea of parental involvement has been perceived to have a positive influence on the academic achievement of student. The belief is rooted from the very perception of educators and the society as a whole that parental involvement is an important factor in addressing many problems in the educational system. Fan and Chen studied a vast proportion of literature regarding parent involvement and its relation students’ academic achievement by using the qualitative and non-empirical method of research. A meta-analysis is done in order to synthesize the results of the study wherein findings reveal that parental aspiration and expectation has the strongest relationship on students’ achievement. On the other hand, parental home supervision has the weakest relation to students’ achievement (Fan and Chen, 2001). Fan and Chen were able to provide numerous and reputable sources in order to conduct a meta-analysis study. Since the study is non-empirical it is only based on existing literature review, it sometimes fails to reflect the reality of incidents that cannot be properly represented in just mere literature study. Parental involvement and its effects to students require empirical study since it is a sociological phenomenon that cannot be easily quantified. Lastly, educational institutions, especially urban public schools also have to deal with violence within the school. Increasing incidents of school violence are often reported like gang wars however, it is also important to point out that bullying is also a form of violence that must be addressed. Nansel et al. (2001) conducted a research study entitled: Bullying Behaviors among US Youth, the main motivation of the researchers is to study bullying since there are no national data regarding the prevalence of bullying. The researchers aim to measure the prevalence of bullying behaviors among the US youth and to identify the relation of bullying and being bullied with psychosocial adjustment. The results show that there is a substantial prevalence of bullying among the US youth. In addition, bullying is also related to concurrent behavior, emotional difficulties, and possible long-term negative consequences for the youth. Being the case, the issue of bullying needs due attention, especially in conducting future research and preventive intervention. The study of Nansel et al. was able to provide important attention to the issue of bullying, especially since this aforementioned form of violence lacks the necessary national data. The research study was able to give information to the issue of bullying and also the corresponding causes and effects of such actions. However, the study of Nansel et al. can still be further improve because there are still a lot of factor that must be explored about bullying, especially when it comes to its relevance to problem of security and safety in educational institutions. References Fan, X., Chen, M. (2001). Parental Involvement and Students’ Academic Achievement:   A Meta-Analysis. Education Psychology Review, 13, 1-22. Hochschild, J.L., Scovronick, N. (2004). The American Dream and the Public Schools. United States: Oxford University Press.   Journal of Education, 128, 248-255. Nansel, T.R., Overpeck, M., Pilla, R.S., Ruan, J., Simons-Morton, B., Scheidt, P. (2001). Bullying Behaviors among US Youth. The Journal of the American Medical Association, 285, 2094-2100.

Women of Early Canada essays

Women of Early Canada essays The female immigrants of New France were categorized into two groups. The first group were the religious figures that came to enhance the religious aspects of new settlers. These women began to arrive in 1639 and continued on into the 18th century. The second group were the devotes and the filles du roi, brought over to marry the settlers and increase the population of the newly developing nation. They arrived in New France between 1663 to 1673. The lives of these women differed greatly to that of the women in the old country. It is said that the women in New France had many privileges that didn't exist in Old France. Jan Noel's article, "New France: Les Femmes Favorisees" and Jacques Mathieu's article, "New France: The French in North America, XVI-XVIIITH Century," discuss the role of women in New France and how privileged their lives were. "Many a man, observing the women of New France, was struck by the advantages they possessed in education, cultivation and that quality called esprit or wit."1 Historians have found documents that describe the way women in New France were seen by men of Old France. "A young woman had lost her understanding and reason because she had given herself for reading and writing, and written many books," Winthrop said, "If she had kept her place and had attended to household affairs, or such things as belongs to women; and not gone out of her way, and calling to meddle in such things as are proper for men, whose minds are stronger, etc., she had kept her wits, and might have improved them usefully and honourably in the place God had sent her."2 This quote found in John Withrop's journal, often is used to encapsulate the male attitude toward women in New France. When the men of France came to New France as visitors or traders, they were quite uncomfortable and openly disapproved of the women and their role in society. Women in New France w...

The Impact of Sustainability on Apple Incorporated Assignment

The Impact of Sustainability on Apple Incorporated - Assignment Example Sustainability is an integral part of an act that tries to create something better for the future. It is clear from this definition that sustainability is about sustaining or maintaining resources, wealth and any other human needs that will give security in times of needs and great demand. Sustainability, therefore, is about trying to create a well-defined future for each individual, organization or the entire country. For example, it is good to maintain biodiversity because it is through this that the balance of nature will be sustained. In the advent of global warming, part of the sustainability issue is to go for alternative energy sources that will emit fewer greenhouse gases. Thus, concerned countries are trying to make environmental policies that will address sustainability issues. In fact, some countries try to make use of biotechnology, and other alternative energy sources such as wind energy and solar energy that promise less amount of greenhouse gas emission. On the other h and, many companies are trying to involve in corporate social responsibility just to be able to sustain their market share and promote their company in a different but somehow effective way. It is therefore clear that financial aspect or economic consideration to save or generate revenue for the future is an integral part of economic sustainability. Every profit organization wants to be economically sustainable in order to continue operation. Based on the above examples, it is shown that sustainability is not just a process but it is a responsibility of each individual, an organization or the country in general. Aside from this, sustainability is a broad concept and its definition requires a full understanding of the different aspects underlying it. Particularly in this paper, the proponent tries to emphasize sustainability based on an economic perspective of a certain organization. That organization is renowned for its cutting-edge technology and substantially higher product qualit y. The company is Apple Incorporated. In the case of Apple Incorporated, economic sustainability issue is one of its important concerns. This is due to the fact that competition is everywhere and even getting fierce every day. Every organization tries to compete with the other and to the extent that formulations of strategic moves have become a must. This is evident in the case of Apple Incorporated and such move to compete is tantamount to its high regard on its company’s economic welfare. As much as possible, it has to gain a remarkable market share and be the leading service provider in its industry.

Differences and Similarities Between Jane Eyre, Helen Burns, and Mr Essay

Differences and Similarities Between Jane Eyre, Helen Burns, and Mr. Brocklehurst - Essay Example Although all three characters share similar attitudes of their times regarding social priorities and personal concerns, they also have very unique perspectives on their individual role within this society and their expectations. Growing up in an unloving home, an orphan living in her aunt’s house and suffering cruel treatment from this aunt as well as her cousin, Jane knows what an unjust world she lives in and recognizes it as such. She is unable to keep quiet when the apothecary questions her about her melancholy spirit following the red room incident which eventually leads to her being sent to school. Throughout this early part of the book, she is shown to be a very thoughtful child, often thinking about the people around her and the ways of the world. In this respect, she is very much like her future friend Helen Burns. Like Helen, Jane does her best to control her emotions and her behavior to meet the expectations of her benefactors, but the injustice of the situations in which she finds herself often overwhelm her sense of decency. Unlike Helen, Jane’s passions often get the best of her. By the time she arrives at her new school, Jane has already developed her own philosophy on how to re late to other people she encounters in life: â€Å"If people were always kind and obedient to those who are cruel and unjust, the wicked people would have it all their own way:  Ã‚  they would never feel afraid, and so they would never alter, but would grow worse and worse.  Ã‚  When we are struck at without a reason, we should strike back again very hard† (Ch. 6). Jane continues to question everything she is told to believe, indicating her own level of intelligence. Her understanding of God, shaped early by the hypocritical teachings of the adults around her, is characterized by this same deep questioning and analysis. This contrasts sharply with the opinions of her friend, Helen. Helen Burns becomes someone Jane can finally call a friend, despite their

Qatar Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Qatar - Essay Example Qatar is a little peninsula that is on the western shore of the Arabian Gulf and it covers approximately 4,247 square miles (6,286 square kilometers). Qatar is just 160 kilometers north into the Persian Gulf from Saudi Arabia. It is located between latitudes 24Â ° and 27Â ° N, and longitudes 50Â ° and 52Â ° E. Qatar mostly consist of low and barren plain that is covered with sand. To the southeast lies the Khor al Adaid (‘Inland Sea’), which is a region of rolling sand dunes surrounding Persian Gulf’s inlet? The landmass creates a rectangle that is described by the local folklore as resembling right hand’s palm that is extended in a prayer. The neighboring nations include Iran to the northeast. Bahrain to the northwest, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to the south. Both Qatar and Bahrain claim the Hawar Islands located west of Qatar and it is uninhabited. Just recently, only few semi-permanent seasonal encampments have been found in the interi or desert. Resources of water that are near the coast together with opportunities for pearl diving, fishing, and seagoing trade have facilitated larger, and additional permanent settlements. The patterns of these settlements have contributed to the social differences between Hadar and Bedouin. Qatar’s climate can be described as subtropical dry, hot desert climate that has low annual rainfall. During the summer the temperatures are extremely high and there is a big difference between maximum and minimum temperatures, more so in the inland areas. The Persian Gulf slightly influences the coastal areas and have lower maximum, however, it has higher minimum temperatures and the moisture percentage in the air are higher. Summer ‘June – September’ is extremely hot with low rainfall. Daily maximum temperatures are able to easily reach 40Â °C or more. Winter is cooler with irregular rainfall.

Reducing Occupational Stress in Air Traffic Control

Reducing Occupational Stress in Air Traffic Control Recommendations and Conclusions Introduction In this chapter, the researcher has formulated a set of recommendations based on data found in the finding and analysis chapter in line with the objectives of the dissertation to help in reducing occupational stress in air traffic control. Improving job planning and reliability of the work systems According to Glovanni Coasta (1995), from the past technical means to present support, under full radar coverage of air space, is the key factor which allows a â€Å"jump in quality†, not just in terms of work competence, but likewise in terms of stress levels, by decreasing cognitive, memory and communicative loads along with uncertainty and unforeseeability of the situations. The more technological passage to function under â€Å"multi-radar† assistance permits an additional rise in levels of reliability and safety as well as a reduction in stress levels. These improvements allow for well planning of air traffic and, subsequently, a more balanced workload among individual ATCs. These improvements may also subsequently reduce the possibility or the seriousness of many unforeseen situations, by allowing for more reliable information and more time for solving problems and making decisions, while eliminating many stressful and risky traffic peaks. Reduction of working times and arrangement of working teams and rest pauses in relation to the workload The mental strength required maintaining the maximum level of attention and vigilance, as well as to securely and efficiently facing the duty in terms of cognitive and memory load that can differ usually in relation to air traffic concentration and connected problems. Therefore, to guarantee the best level of performance efficiency avoiding excessive mental stress and fatigue, particular attention has to be paid to arranging duty periods. Duty periods: The length of the duty period should not exceed ten hours (extendable to 12 hours in special circumstances), and should be adjusted according to the workload; An interval of no less than 12 hours should be scheduled between the conclusion of one period of duty and the commencement of the next period of duty; Overtime should be an exception. Breaks during operational duty: No operational duty shall exceed a period of two hours without there being taken, during or at the end of that period, a break or total break not less than 30 minutes; During periods of high traffic density, the possibility of having more frequent short breaks (ten minutes) should be provided; A sufficiently long break for meals should be allowed, providing adequate canteen facilities to assure hot and good quality meals. Arrangement of shift schedules according to psycho-physiological and social criteria Shift work, in particular night work, is a stress factor for the ATCs due to its negative effects on various aspects of their lives. This stress can be eliminated by adopting a rapidly-rotating shift system, changing work shifts every one or two days instead of every week. Moreover, reducing the number of consecutive night shifts as much as possible and having a day’s rest after the night-shift period. This prevents accumulation of sleep deficit and fatigue, and allows a quicker recovery. Delaying the beginning of the morning shift (e.g. at 07:00 or later) to allow a normal amount of sleep. Preferring the forward rotation (e.g. morning-afternoon-night) to the backward one (e.g. afternoon-morning-night) to allow a longer period of rest between shifts). Adjusting the length of shifts according to the physical and mental workload that is day shifts should be shorter, whereas night shifts could be longer if the workload is reduced and there are sleeping facilities. Improving the work environment Lighting Taking into consideration that the ATCs task is performed almost exclusively in front of a visual display unit, particular attention should be paid to providing lighting conditions which favor an optimal visual performance. Inside the towers, the opposite is the problem. It is necessary to avoid excessive illumination levels due to external bright light using both anti-reflection glass and curtains; it is also important to have the possibility of positioning and shielding the visual display units to avoid indirect glare due to bright reflections on the screen. Noise The main sources of noise are represented by conversations, manual operations (e.g. manipulations of strip supports) and office machines (printers, telephones, photocopiers, etc.). Therefore particular attention has to be paid in order to stop background noise from exceeding 45-50 dB by installing quieter office machinery, arranging work sectors in order to have better sound protection from each other, and installing more insulating headsets and more sensitive microphones. Arranging workplaces according to ergonomic criteria Workstation design It is also important to arrange the layout of the workplace in order to avoid glare caused by excessive brightness contrasts between different objects and surfaces; it causes discomfort and hampers the comprehension of the information. The displays should be shaded and the surfaces matte, avoiding the use of reflective materials and bright colors on table-tops and consoles. Data displays containing flight information should preferably be located beside the radar screen. Sitting postures A prolonged, constrained sitting posture causes muscular-skeletal discomfort and pain, particularly at the level of the neck, the shoulders and the lumbar tract. In order to avoid or alleviate such disturbances, it is important to use suitable chairs which allow a comfortable sitting posture while working, as well as useful muscle relaxation while on stand-by or resting in front of the screen. Individual ways of coping with stress First of all, people should avoid ineffective ways of coping, which can have an apparent short term positive effect but, in the long run, can cause further problems in health and well-being. We refer in particular to smoking. Increasing smoking (for smokers) is sometimes seen as a way of obtaining a sense of relief and calmness. Of course, apart from short-term relief, there are many adverse effects both on performance efficiency, due to interference with the upper nervous system activities, and on health, due to increased risk of lung tumors and chronic bronchitis from smoking. Secondly, maintaining good physical fitness and emotionally stable psychic conditions are the best aids in fighting and overcoming stress. To stay in satisfactory condition, people should pay particular attention to physical exercise, eating habits, sleeping patterns, relaxation techniques and leisure activities. Relaxation techniques are becoming more and more popular among people who feel to be under stress. Massage, yoga, meditation and autogenous training are all useful exercises which help to control restlessness, anxiety, muscular tension, inability to concentrate, insomnia and other symptoms of stress. Training The aim of training is at teaching occupational and particular coping strategies in order to improve the capacity of event appraisal and problem solving, so that ATCs learn how to cope with emotional effects of stressful events and improve the capacity of control. Air traffic controllers should be trained to develop action-oriented and problem-focused coping abilities. Positive acceptance and reappraisal of stress situations, active coping, seeking to social support for instrumental and emotional reasons must be strengthened, while inclination towards restraint coping, behavioural and mental disengagement should be restricted. Conclusion Air traffic controllers are the working groups having to deal with very stressful and tough job and are widely recognized as an occupational group which has to cope with a highly demanding job that involves a complex series of tasks, requiring high levels of knowledge and expertise, combined with high levels of responsibility. According to this research, it can be seen that most of air traffic controllers rate the level of stress as extreme. Moreover, this level of stress is caused due to several factors such as duration of break that the controllers have, the shift hours they usually worked and the workload. Stress can be due to conflict arising from workplace and private life also. According to survey, 63% of air traffic controllers have conflict arising from workplace and private life. 50% of controllers agreed that stress is caused due to their nature of the job and responsibilities. Air traffic controllers must be trained to have high stress resistance and must be able to take best decision in difficult condition and on behalf of the pilot. Training should be given in order to improve the capacity of event appraisal and problem solving, so that ATCs learn how to cope with emotional effects of stressful events and improve the capacity of control. Moreover, it is important to have a stress management system in place in the work place to help controllers deal with suffering a loss of separation incident or accident. Reference: Professor Glovanni Coasta (1995). Occupational stress and prevention in air traffic control. Institute of Occupational Medicine: University of Verona.

Jefferson Memorial and the Pantheon Essay -- Architecture Compare Cont

Jefferson Memorial and the Pantheon The Jefferson Memorial is a testimonial to the past, present, and future of the United States. Its architecture, like most neo-Classical buildings, gives a sense of permanence. This permanence has a history far older than many would suspect. Centuries ago and thousands of miles away a building was erected that would later become the model for which many other buildings, including the Jefferson Memorial, are based upon. This building is the Roman Pantheon. Though the Jefferson Memorial borrows the basic form and elements from the Pantheon, the Memorial has distinctive differences from its predecessor. The Memorial is located in Washington, DC in an area of the city known as "The Mall" (Weeks, AIA Guide to the Architecture of Washington DC, pg.61). It is dedicated to America's third president, Thomas Jefferson.. Jefferson was a man of many talents, in addition to being president Jefferson was once a statesman, architect, drafter of the Declaration of Independence, adviser on the Constitution, and founder of the University of Virginia (Pamela Scott and Antoinette Lee, Buildings of the District of Columbia, pg. 102). The Memorial was officially dedicated in April 1943, on Jefferson's 200th birthday, by FDR. The Jefferson Memorial is surrounded by other national monuments, some of which are the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial, and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. The chief architect responsible for designing and building the Jefferson Memorial was John Russell Pope in 1939 to 1943. Pope was a neoclassicist who was inspired by the Roman Pantheon. The Memorial's basic form is a domed rotunda fronted by a Greek portico, or entrance porch, and surrounded by Ionic columns. At first glance ... ...lding can be, yet it has its own distinctive style and meaning. The Memorial is not a mirror image of its ancient ancestor, rather, it is a descendant of centuries of development and change. The Jefferson Memorial is no simple carbon copy of the original Pantheon, it is a building and a work of art in its own right and should be appreciated regardless of history. Works Cited: 1. Christopher Weeks, AIA Guide to the Architecture of Washington DC. Washington DC: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1994 2. Pamela Scott and Antoinette Lee, Buildings of the District of Columbia. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, Inc., 1993 3. Marilyn Stokstad, Art History vol. 1. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall, Inc., 1995 4. Horst de la Croix, Garders Art Through the Ages, 8th edition. Orlando, Florida: Harcourt Brace Janovich, Inc., 1986