1984 by George Orwell Essay Example for Free

1984 by George Orwell Essay Winston made up his mind, he would defiantly come back to this place after a suitable interval. He would take the risk of visiting the shop again. He would look around more, find other interesting things from the mysterious past. He was even considering of renting that nice little room above the shop. And he would definitely drag the rest of that song out of Mr. Charringtons memory. Almost cheerfully and while humming the rhyme to an improvised tune, he left the shop. After reading through the extract I must come to the conclusion that Winston must have had a nice, if not great experience visiting the shop. The objects in the shop and especially in the living room upstairs made Winston long to the mysterious past, the very thing he desperately wants to discover more about. The atmosphere in the extract reflects this in the mysterious way that it is written by George Orwell. The reader can actually share the impression of the cozy room with its sweet fire place and go through the same emotions as Winston, due to the detailed description by the author. In this passage we deal with something that is called a time-delay. The actions in this passage are described more detailed than in the passage that comes before it. There is also a lot of thinking and reflection involved. To make an end to this essay I would like to discuss one more thing. In this extract Mr.Charrington appears as a nice old grandfather kind of man that obviously has experienced a lot during his live and fortunately is somehow preserved from the bad influence Big Brothers regime. We get the impression that Mr. Charrington could know things about the past of great value to Winston. We want to read ahead and find out if our impressions will be realized. We also want to know how Winston will develop through this obtained knowledge, what his opinion will be on the present government when he finds out the truth about the past.

Describe How Active Participation Benefits An Individual

Describe How Active Participation Benefits An Individual Introduction Recent decades have seen a greater emphasis on service user participation than had previously been the case (Beresford, 2001). In the past, decision making in social care and associated policy development had been led by practitioners, politicians and academics, with service users and citizens having minimal say in what services they received and how services were provided (Beresford, 2001). This study examines how active participation of service users has developed over the last 20-30 years and how the progress made in encouraging participation has benefited individuals and the overall quality of service provision. For the purposes of this study, there is primarily a focus on the service user as the individual who engages in active participation although it should be accepted that family members and carers have their own separate and sometimes conflicting needs for participation (Roulstone et al., 2006). Service users are described by Beresford (2001, p.9) as â€Å"people who receive or are eligible to receive social care services† and it is important to note that people can self-identify as a service user. However, active participation of people outside of the health and social care arena will also be discussed as there is evidence that participation in community activities can be beneficial to citizens who are not in receipt of social care services. Policy and Legislation A shift towards more active participation has a basis in the policies and legislation introduced under New Labour. Government took a view that greater participation would be a way of increasing the number of citizens who would be active citizens (Millward, 2005) and the Health and Social Care Act 2001 was at the forefront of extending service user choice and the enablement of people to decide on their own services through schemes such as Direct Payments. Other relevant legislation and guidance has included the White Paper Our Health, Our Care Our Say (Department of Health, 2006); Valuing People (Department of Health, 2001); the National Service Framework for Older People (Department of Health, 2001). With specific reference to social care, Putting People First (2007) set out a commitment to closer working between central and local government, and the health and social care sectors, alongside better partnership working with service users and carers. More recently, under the Coalition Government consultations such as A vision for social care: Capable communities and active citizens (DH, 2010) and Caring for our future: Shared ambitions for care and support (DH, 2011) have continued to encourage participation with an expectation that it can help people to live healthier and more independent lives. It is evident from cross-party support that active participation is something supported across the political spectrum. Participation is seen as something that encourages better citizenship and it can also be argued that it offers a form of low level democracy. Participation is also something that pulls back direct state intervention in people’s lives. What is Active Participation? Active participation can be defined in a number of ways and can be related to both individuals who are in receipt of health and social care services and those who live independently in the community without service provision. Definitions such as ‘consultation’, ‘partnership’ and ‘involvement’ are often used to explain participation (Roberts, 2002). In social care terms participation might be seen as allowing and individual to have control over day to day decisions such as what time meals would be taken or when personal care services would be delivered; at a more strategic level, participation might involve giving a say in how services are commissioned and delivered to a wider group of service users (Mordey and Crutchfield, 2004). Service user consultation groups or local forums for citizens to discuss how services are prioritised and delivered are examples of this broader level of active participation. The Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) has developed some useful definitions for participation. It uses the word participation as being â€Å"to talk about actively working together on a particular project or activity† (SCIE 2004, p.2). It also sets out a number of key values and principles which should inform participation work. These include a belief in citizenship; the promotion of empowerment; developing a human rights culture in social care; giving equal priority to all opinion; developing new approaches to participation; being inclusive; and making it clear what people can and cannot be involved in (SCIE 2004). The final point is important. Active participation is rightly seen as a positive development for service users but there still has to be a line where organisations can make decisions irrespective of service user participation. Adult safeguarding is an example of this, where sometimes decisions may have to be made without the participation of an individual in order to protect his or her welfare. Nonetheless, the link between participation and social work values is a positive one. It suggests that participation is grounded in a commitment to human rights and equality, something that should bring benefits to the individuals who take up the opportunity to participate. SCIE also draws a distinction between the different types of participation that can be found in social care, suggesting that participation can range from providing information and actively listening to service user views, to providing assistance or even financial support to allow people to research or provide services (SCIE, 2004). Participation can also be applied to a range of service user groups including older people, children and families, people with disabilities and people with drug and alcohol misuse problems (SCIE, 2004). The Personalisation Agenda The personalisation agenda in health and social care has been critical in promoting the idea of active participation. Personalisation is primarily a new way of providing social care support which puts the person requiring a service at the centre of the assessment process and allows individuals and their carers a real say in identifying their needs and making choices about how services will be provided (Carr, 2010). It recognises that people are individuals with diverse strengths and preferences, and aims to empower people through better provision of information and advocacy, early intervention to get the right support in place and also recognising the rights of carers (SCIE, 2012). Given these aims of personalisation, one of the key benefits for the individual would be having greater control over services provided and consequently there being a greater chance of the rights services being provided, with positive outcomes. Another key point about personalisation and participation is that it still has to be facilitated by agencies and policy makers. As much as people may want to participate in service delivery or more simply just in community work, they still require the tools to do so and also the autonomy to make their own decisions. Benefits of Participation Greater participation in how services are delivered can bring a number of benefits to service users. Active participation can help develop more customer/service user-friendly versions of existing services and give individuals more say in how their services are run and how they can access them. Participation gives service users – who are also tax-payers – a greater say on how money is spent on services in their area and also helps individuals become co-designers and co-producers of the services that they use (Leadbetter, 2004). At a wider level, it can be argued that active participation allows for self-organisation by communities, rather than service provision being dictated by external agencies or distant central government. Participation also supports the development of greater citizenship. Participation and influence over how public funds are spent can be seen as being an important part of the democratic process and the concept of citizenship lends itself to ideals of equity and collective provision which are embedded in public services. For the individual, participation in public service can increase a sense of civic attachment and impress on the individual what it means to be a member of a democratic society (Leadbetter, 2004). Participation and Young People Discussions around personalisation and participation generally have an emphasis on the participation of adult service users but active participation can also have a positive impact for young people who access social care support and services. Legislation and guidance including the Children Act 1989 and the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child have a focus on the child’s right to participate in decision making and there are a number of benefits for both young people and the organisations that provide services. For young people, active participation can help them gain new skills and experience, develop self-confidence and influence the decisions that affect their lives. They can develop social networks and begin to understand how organisations work. Participation can also quite simply be fun for young people, and it can help them feel valued and empowered (Wright et al., 2005). Active participation can be particularly beneficial for children and young people who might be consider as disadvantaged or vulnerable. Groups such as looked after children, young offenders, care leavers, young carers and gay and lesbian young people are easily marginalised and many agencies tend to direct them rather than engage with them. They face a number of barriers to participation such as a lack of motivation to engage; mistrust of adults and a feeling that their views will not be listened to because of their past experiences (McNeish, 1999). Research studies highlight a number of positives from individual participation projects which could be used as a benchmark for future initiatives. In Hampshire for example, a Care Action Team (CAT) was established bring together members and officer from the County Council to work with people who were in, or had been in care. Regular meetings to gather the views of young people led to a number of improvements in how services to young people were delivered. These included development of a new sleepover policy making it easier for looked after children to spend the night with friends; involvement of young people in the inspection of children’s homes, and a Children’s Homes Education Policy which improved the educational support for looked after children. A more general improvement from the establishment of the CAT was that young people developed a greater sense of worth and awareness that they were not alone in their experiences (Wright et al., 2005). For organisations, encouraging active participation by young people can also bring improvements to service delivery. It helps them become more responsive to the needs of children and young people; it increases the accessibility of organisation and makes them more efficient in providing effective services (Wright et al., 2005). Active Participation in the Community Active participation has benefits for society as well as the individuals involved. We live in a nation with an ageing population and many older people have greater expectation of both opportunity and support from public services in later life. An Audit Commission report (2004, p.2) stated that â€Å"the shift in proportion, composition and attitudes of the older age group has profound implications for public services. We need to start taking action now to shape things for the better†. Active participation does not only relate to people who are in need or receipt of social care services however. Participation in the community can also benefit individuals who do not require social care provision. Many older people for example, benefit from active participation in their local communities and government studies have suggested that active participation is linked to the overall well-being of individuals (Audit Commission, 2004). A number of strategies can be developed to encouraged independence and participation for older people. These can include work to support people ensuring that they have a safe comfortable home, and live in a neighbourhood close to friends and amenities. Good public transport networks allow people to get out and about whilst social and leisure activities promote social inclusion. Information for older people on how to access amenities encourages active participation as do healthy living initiatives which help people to stay active and healthy (Audit Commission, 2004). Active participation for older people is also a way of tackling the ageism that exists in society. Participation allows people to feel valued and able to challenge stereotypes that older people offer less to society that younger people. Participation allows them to have a say in decisions made about them both as individuals and as a wider group in society. A Department of Pensions report published in 2009 identified LinkAge Plus (LAP) pilots as initiatives which enable older people to become more active in their communities (Willis and Dalziel, 2009). Schemes to give opportunities to socialise through social, leisure and training activities help to address wider community and social wellbeing outcomes through the creation and development of social capital. Examples might include over 60s clubs providing activities ranging from Tai Chi to adult art classes. Network Centres establish social networks for older people which improve confidence and well-being and the DWP report concludes that people are â€Å"empowered when new or stronger bonds are created between themselves and the community in which they live† (Willis and Dalziel, p.45). Other examples of active participation demonstrate older people have an active role in local decision making and commissioning of services. The Gateshead Older People’s Assembly for example was funded to assess the appropriateness, accessibility and effectiveness of services for older people in the region. The benefits were twofold – the Assembly allowed a number of individuals the opportunity to become involved in stimulating research and study activities, whilst the conclusions were feedback into local service procurement, ensuring that the views of the wider population of older people were being heard (Willis and Dalziel, 2009). Criticisms and Obstacles Whilst most of the evidence points towards active participation being a positive opportunity for individuals there are some concerns about how it might delivered and that there will be obstacles to real and effective active participation. Some commentators suggest that the whole personalisation agenda will simply tie up social workers in drafting support plans and assisting with finances, rather than providing a more person-centred social work support, whilst there are also concerns that the introduction of personal budgets will be seized upon by individual who have motives other than the well-being of services users (Needham, 2010). There are also concerns that personalisation is simply a way of implementing public sector budget cuts and introducing a level of consumerism into social care for vulnerable people. The emphasis on individuals managing their own finances could possibly lead to financial abuse or simply people mismanaging their personal budgets (Needham, 2010). Even outside of social care, a cynical view of encouraging people to find their own ways of participating in the community could be that it is simply a way for the state to withdraw from provision of leisure services and have people fund and manage them themselves. A final concern around active participation is that it could lead to discrimination against vulnerable groups if they were to become more active and visible in the community. Services users with physical and learning disability who try to manage their own care in the community may be probe to physical, emotional or financial abuse by neighbours and Burton et al. (2012) also suggest that disabled people trying to live ordinary lives in the community, and participating in community activities, may cause some hostility. Conclusions The evidence available suggests that participation is a positive thing. The applies equally to participation in service delivery and review for those in need of social care, and to those in the community who simply wish to remain active members of the community. In social care, the personalisation agenda and the move towards self-directed support and personal budgets has promoted active participation. It puts individual service users in greater control of what services they receive and allows services user groups to have a greater say in how services are commissioned and delivered. This benefits individuals as it allows them to have a real say in how they receive support; it should also assist the organisations that provide services to develop and improve the services that they provide. Similar principles apply in social care provision for children and young people, as active participation allows their voices to be heard and should give decision makers a better understanding of what is needed to support vulnerable young people It is important to note that active participation in social care can be linked into some basic social care values. Good social work practice should involve putting the individual first (SCIE, 2012) and initiatives such as personalisation and can help demonstrate a commitment to respect for the individual and self-determination. Social workers that encourage active participation will generally be demonstrating a person-centred or child-centred approach that will enable an effective and non-discriminatory relationship with the individual that they are trying to help. Again, this is further evidence that active participation is largely beneficial to the individual. Active participation for people outside of the social care system also appears to have a positive effect on people’s lives. It promotes social inclusion and the evidence suggests that being active in the community promotes well-being and helps people to live more fulfilling lives. In a modern, democratic society, there is no reason why active participation should not be commonplace. It demonstrates that as a society we value the views and opinions of all citizens and that when people need support, they can have a say in how it is provided, rather than the state simply imposing a service that may not meet the individual’s need. By encouraging more general participation in society, active participation also demonstrates that we value the input of all members of society into the community, regardless of age or disability. Cynics might argue that active participation is a way for local and central government to save money and pass the onus for some tasks back to service users and the local community. Whilst their might be an element of truth in this, the reality is that active participation is largely a positive development. Many citizens want to participate in decision making both for themselves and their local communities and the evidence suggests that this participation produces good outcomes. Bibliography Audit Commission. (2004). Older People – Independence and Well-being – the challenge for public services. London: Audit Commission Publications Beresford, P. (2001). Service users, social policy and the future of welfare. Critical Social Policy, 21 (4): 494–512. Burton, J., Toscano, T. and Zonouzi, M. (2012) Personalisation for Social Workers. Maidenhead: Open University Press. Department of Health. (2001). National Service Framework for Older People. London: TSO Department of Health. (2006). Our Health, Our Care Our Say. London: TSO Department of Health. (2011). Caring for our future: Shared ambitions for care and support. London: TSO Leadbetter, M. (2004) Personalisation Through Participation. London: Demos Millward, L. (2005). Just because we are amateurs doesnt mean we arent professional: the importance of expert activists in tenant participation. Public Administration, 83 (3): 735–751. Needham, S. (2011). Personalising Public Services, Bristol: Policy Press McNeish, D. (1999). From rhetoric to reality: Participatory approaches to health promotion with young people. London: Health Education Authority. Mordey, M. Crutchfield, J. (2004). User involvement in supported housing. Housing, Care and Support, 7 (1): 7–10 Roberts, K. (2002). Exploring participation: older people on discharge from hospital. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 40 (4): 413–420. Roulstone, A., Hudson, V., Kearney, J., Martin, A., with Warren, J. (2006). Working Together: Carer Participation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. London: Care Institute for Excellence. SCIE (2004) SCIE Participation Strategy [online] Available: [http://www.scie.org.uk/publications/corporate/files/participationstrategy.pdf] accessed 10th October 2014 SCIE (2012). Personalisation: A Rough Guide. [online] Available: [http://www.scie.org.uk/publications/guides/guide47] accessed 10th October 2014 Willis M. and Dalziel, R. (2009) LinkAge Plus: Capacity building – enabling and empowering older people as independent and active citizens. DWP Research Report 571 [online] Available: [https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/186778/rrep571.pdf] accessed 9th October Wright, P., Tirner, C., Clay, D. and Mills H. (2005) The participation of children and young people in developing social care. SCIE Participation Practice Guide 06 [online] Available: [http://www.scie.org.uk/publications/guides/guide11/files/guide11.pdf] accessed 10th October 2014

Developing a Sense of Place in Geography Education

Developing a Sense of Place in Geography Education Developing a sense of place through Key Stage 1 2 Geography Teaching Introduction This paper looks at a particular aspect of teaching and learning geography that is particularly significant: developing a sense of place, as defined under the programme of study Knowledge and Understanding of Places of Key Stage 1 2 of the Primary School National Curriculum. The idea of developing ‘sense of place’ is first discussed in detail and then children’s learning is considered, in terms of what children will actually learn from undertaking this activity, and why this is a valuable part of the curriculum. In terms of what children will actually learn, the paper will consider such things as developing a ‘sense of place’ using an enquiring approach, enhancing children’s perceptions of their locality and their concept of nested hierarchies, developing a vocabulary for geography, enhancing their observation skills and recording skills, during fieldwork, for example. Under the National Curriculum for the UK – Geography, the stated aims and purposes of teaching geography are to stimulate children’s interest in their surroundings and in the variety of human and physical conditions on Earth, to foster a sense of wonder at the beauty of the world, to help children develop a sense of concern about the protection of the Earth’s natural resources and to enhance children’s sense of responsibility for the care of the Earth and it’s peoples (The Standards Site, 2007). The aim of key stage 1 is to develop knowledge, skills and understanding relating to the children’s own immediate environment, in terms of the physical environment and the people who live there, with the focus on developing thinking in a geographical way i.e., utilising questions such as ‘What/where is it?’ (aimed at developing observational skills), ‘What is it like?’ (aimed at developing reporting skills), and ‘How di d it get like this?’ (aimed at developing analytical skills) (The Standards Site, 2007). Key stage 2 geography teaching aims to further develop knowledge of place and peoples, but further afield from the immediate locality, so that children begin to learn about different scales and how they relate to each other and to other places on Earth (The Standards Site, 2007). In terms of the current paper, implicit within these stated aims of Key Stage 1 2 geography teaching, is the development of a child’s perception of ‘a sense of place’, in terms of children being able to firstly recognise where they are, then to be able to describe the features of their immediate environment, and to undertake investigations which would allow them to further explore and understand their immediate environment (The Standards Site, 2007). With these aims in mind, in terms of developing a ‘sense of place’, one of the first recommended units within Key Stage 1 curriculum is entitled ‘Around our school – the local area’ which uses investigative methods to encourage children to look at their immediate, i.e., local, area. The investigative methods include funding out where other children in their class live, in comparison to where they themselves live, for example, locating the school in comparison to other local landmarks they know about, identifying what else can be seen in the streets immediately surrounding the school (for example, traffic lights, car parks etc), describing what the immediate environment is like, investigating what jobs people do in the local area, for example by asking other children what jobs their parents undertake, looking at how people spend their leisure time, for example by asking if other children’s parents have hobbies, or what the other children do in the evenings and at weekends, looking at the local area to see if any building work is taking place, and then discussing how this might change the local area, for better or for worse (The Standards Site, 2007). All of these points can be amplified upon by the teacher, and can be discussed in much greater detail with the individual children, and between groups of children, so that the children really begin to develop some sense of their own ‘sense of place’, in terms of understanding and analysing their own local environments (i.e., their school, their home, their routes between school and home etc.). As can be seen, therefore, the National Curriculum gives a very clear set of guidelines as to how geography should be taught to Key Stage 1 2 aged children, with these guidelines broken down in to easy to manage modules, with each module incorporating new skills (such as investigative skills, reporting skills or analytical skills), beginning with investigations and discussions of the children’s local environment and with each subsequent module designed to take the children a little further afield than their local environment. This, it is aimed, will clearly develop a child’s ‘sense of place’ in terms of first orientating them with regards to their local environment, and then, slowly, introducing them to environments that are further afield, for example, through a progression of scales, of nested hierarchies, i.e., studies of, first, the local town, and then subsequently of the local city, the county, the country, Europe, the world and it’s people. I t is aimed that through this sequential and progressive approach to teaching about geography, aside from the skills that the children will acquire, the children will also, as we have seen, develop a strong ‘sense of place’. We have seen that the National Curriculum provides quite explicit guidelines as to how to teach geography to primary school children, but what, on the ground, as it were, can teachers do to ensure that the lessons that need to be taught to children are taught in the best way possible, and are taught in an entertaining and effective manner? To this end, there are all sorts of study aids that teachers can use to teach geography to primary school children. Some of these teacher aids will be discussed in the following sections. One set of teacher aids, designed specifically for teaching Key Stage 1 2 geography curriculum to primary school children is the Super Schemes series, developed by the Geographical Association, in particular Unit 1, which is entitled Around our School: The Seagulls Busy Day and Unit 2, which is entitled Making Our Area Safer: The Twins Holiday. These books use an almost story book-like approach to teach children about geography through the eyes of characters that the children can relate to. It is intended that the children read of the characters, and what they do within the books, and that, through this, the children learn about the aims of the geography curriculum. The explicit aim of this series of books is to enhance and improve the vocabulary of children, in terms of the vocabulary that is necessary for an understanding of geography, to enable their own understanding of a ‘sense of place’. The Around our School: The Seagulls Busy Day title, for example, aims to help children realise that maps can be useful in the location, recording and visualizing of information. The Making Our Area Safer: The Twins Holiday title has similar aims, but also aims to encourage understanding of issues of sustainability of community, through looking at safety issues within the community, in particular the issue of how young children deal with traffic and how young children (i.e., the twins in the story) can manage to overcome the problems that traffic poses to them. These two books in the Super Schemes series are interesting in that they present a particular, traditional, way of teaching a particular idea to children, using a different ‘take’ on a tried and tested formula, which many teachers may find useful, and easy to implement. For teachers, however, who prefer a more ‘hands-on’ approach in their attempt to develop a child’s ‘sense of place’, there are other, more ‘hands-on’ teacher aids that can be incorporated in to Key Stage 1 2 geography teaching, for example, the Earthwalks kit, designed by Hekkle and Van Matre (1980), which is designed to educate users about nature, by making the users ‘get in touch’ with nature, through reawakening the senses of the user, and sharpening their perceptions of their sense of place, for example, and of the beauty of their immediate environment. The idea of the Earthwalks kit is to provide activities, based around hour-long walks, including relevant activities, which can be used to heighten the users perception of their environment. The activities are written in a child-friendly manner, and the kit is presented in a card/binder format, so that, for example, children can add in their own paper to make notes, or to draw something they have seen along the walk that they found particularly interesting. The approach presented in the Earthwalks kit is entirely ‘hands-on’ and attempts to encourage the development of a sense of wonder about the child’s environment, in terms of encouraging heightened observations and, as such, to encourage heightened appreciation of their environment, developing, very practically, a heightened ‘sense of place’ in the users. The idea of developing ‘sense of place’ is therefore crucial in teaching geography to primary school children, in terms of encouraging a connection with their environment, encouraging responsibility to the local environment, and laying a foundation on which children can build, in terms of taking this understanding, appreciation and responsibility for their local environment further, when children begin to learn about areas that are further afield, or other cultures, for example. A child that has a well developed ‘sense of place’ from an early age will be much more tolerant, responsible, appreciative and responsive to the ‘other’ than a child that has not developed a coherent ‘sense of place’ from an early age. As we have seen, children’s learning about geography at Key Stages 1 2 is very well structured, and the aims of these Key Stages are very well defined, in terms of leading children gently through the progression of understanding their local environment, and from this later understanding environments that are further afield, or other cultures, for example. In terms of what children will actually learn from undertaking the activities suggested throughout the Key Stages 1 2 Geography Curriculum, as we have seen, it is aimed that children will first learn about, and learn to understand their local environment, and then, through Key Stage 2 that they will begin to take these learning tools and move on to learning about environments that are further afield, and about other peoples and cultures. This is a valuable part of the curriculum, obviously, as children need to, as we have seen, first develop a strong understanding of their immediate environment, through developing a ‘ sense of place’ and then, from this, take this appreciation, understanding and responsibility to environments that are further afield. This approach to learning about their surroundings encourages thinking in a responsible and sustainable manner, such that children are encouraged to appreciate, and thus to care for, their surroundings, whether these be their immediate surroundings, or whether they be further afield. In terms of what children will actually learn, as we have seen, the aim of Key Stages 1 2 Geography teaching is, essentially, to develop a ‘sense of place’ using an enquiring approach, enhancing children’s perceptions of their locality and their concept of nested hierarchies, developing a vocabulary for geography, enhancing their observation skills and recording skills, during fieldwork, for example. As we have seen, the various teaching aids that are available can help in these aims, especially if the two types of teaching aids, ‘traditional’ versus ‘hands-on’ are used in conjunction with each other in the classroom, in order to encourage children’s learning and acquisition of knowledge. In conclusion, I feel that developing a child’s ‘sense of place’ is an implicit aim of the Key Stages 1 2 Geography Curriculum, and that, as such, encouraging a child to develop a strong ‘sense of place’ is a fundamental part of teaching geography to children at this stage of their development. As we have seen, at the beginning of this paper, teachers have been given a very strong conceptual framework for developing their geography teaching, in the form of the National Curriculum specifications, which provides them a basis on which to teach children about geography. Within this, however, as we have seen, teachers are free to decide how they teach their pupils about geography. We have looked at two ‘types’ of teaching aids, one traditional, using the characters in books to develop children’s vocabulary and sense of responsibility, the other more ‘hands-on’ using walks to encourage a sense of wonder about ‘placeâ €™ and to encourage an appreciation of the natural beauty of ‘places’. It is, of course, the decision of the individual teacher as to which type of study aids are chosen in order for the teacher to encourage thinking about ‘sense of place’ within their pupils. In some sense, the way in which geography is taught is not important: what is important is that this ‘sense of place’, this appreciation of a child’s environment is fostered, so that children act responsibly towards their immediate environment, and further afield, in terms of caring for the natural environment as a whole. If this ‘sense of place’ is fostered in the classroom environment by the teacher, the teacher can be said to have done their job, and done their job well. Sources Bridge C., 2005. Super Schemes Unit 1, Around our School: The Seagulls busy day, Sheffield, Geographical Association. Bridge C., 2005. Super Schemes Unit 2, Making our area safer: The twins holiday, Sheffield, Geographical Association. Hekkle, K. Van Matre, S., 1980. Earthwalks, Greenville, USA, IEEMills, D. (1992) Scoffham, S., 2004. Primary Geography Handbook. Sheffield, Geographical Association. The National Curriculum of the UK – Geography The Standards Site (2007). Geography at key stages 1 and 2: teaching geography at key stages 1 and 2. Available from http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/schemes2/geography/teaching?view=get. Accessed on 17th April 2007. The following websites were also useful: http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/schemes2/geography/?view=get www.nc.uk.net/webdav/harmonise?Page/@id=6004Subject/@id=3449

School to Work after the School to Work Opportunities Act :: School Work Opportunities Act Essays

School to Work after the School to Work Opportunities Act In July 1994, Congress passed the School to Work Opportunities Act (STWOA), allocating funds to establish statewide partnerships designed to prepare students with knowledge and skills required for employment in the workplace. Recent reports show that STW has varied considerably across these partnerships, resulting in differing views on the viability of its programs. Now that federal funding from STWOA has ended, what is the aftermath? What are the chances for sustaining STW now that funding has ceased? To what extent have STW efforts been institutionalized and supported by local business? How do the perceptions and commitment of teachers, educators, students and parents influence the self-sustaining future of school to work (STW)? This Myths and Realities looks at the issues as they apply to life after STWOA. State Policies and Funding Strategies Ensure that STW Programs Are Sustained There is no doubt that state policy to advance activities started under the federal grant will be a major factor in the sustainability of STW (Miller and Fleegler 2000). Already, some states have taken the initiative for bringing higher standards to education by offering incentives for business to participate in STW programs. In Colorado, for example, the General Assembly passed a law in 1997 giving businesses a 10 percent tax credit for participating in its School-to-Career program (Eslinger 1998). In Connecticut, efforts to sustain STW have involved the hiring of an STW coordinator whose main responsibility is to focus on community outreach (Cutshall 2001c). Commitment is the key where state policy is involved. Alan Hershey, a senior fellow with Mathematica Policy Research Inc. in Princeton, New Jersey, has evaluated the progress of STW for the U.S. Department of Education. He predicted that unless states are actively committed to STW, the partnerships established through the STWOA would dissolve once federal funding ceases. States such as Michigan and Wisconsin will likely fund or find ways to use employment and training and technical education dollars to fund STW activities because they are committed to STW, as evidenced by their record (Kiser 1999). In Wisconsin, "85% of the school districts receive STW funds and 93% of high schools are involved in STW" (Hettinger 1998, p. 23). When states are as heavily committed to the tenets of STW as these two states, they are likely to find other funding sources to continue their STW programs (Hettinger 1998). Not all states, however, have been able to muster enthusiasm for STW.

The Cuban Missile Crisis Essay -- American History Cuba Essays

The Cuban Missile Crisis John F. Kennedy's greatest triumph as President of the United States came in 1962, as the world's two largest superpowers, the Soviet Union and the United States, edged closer and closer to nuclear war. The Soviet premier of Russia was caught arming Fidel Castro with nuclear weapons. The confrontation left the world in fear for thirteen long days, with the life of the world on the line. In 1962, Nikita Khrushchev, Premier of the Soviet Union, employed a daring gambit. He secretly ordered the placement of Soviet nuclear weapons in Cuba. Earlier the Soviet premier had promised Soviet protection to Cuba ("Cuban" 774). This was the first time any such weapons had been placed outside of Eurasia (Hersh 345). Several explanations for his actions have been offered by historians. One factor in Khrushchev’s decision was a strategic one (Hersh 346). A year earlier, the United States had placed several medium-range nuclear missiles in Turkey ("Cuban 774). The missiles were just across the Black Sea from the Soviet Union, within sight of Khrushchev's summer home (Hersh 346). President Kennedy had earlier ignored his advisors and placed nuclear missiles in Turkey. Another factor was a threat by the US to one of the Soviet Union's satellite countries, Cuba (Hersh 346). The United States had, in the past, attempted to kill Fidel Castro, dictator of Cuba (Brinkley 1047). In July of 1962, the United States found out that nuclear missile shipments were being made to Cuba. United States U-2 spy planes flew over the island, bringing back reports of construction and ballistic missiles ("Cuban" 744). The CIA found that five thousand Russian military technicians were in Cuba, and various military weapons were being unloaded onto the island. When U-2 activity was increased, reports showed the presence of SAMs (surface-to-air missiles) and torpedo boats with ship-to-ship rockets (Mills 233). On September 4, Soviet ambassador Anatoly Dobrynin met with Robert Kennedy to discuss a m essage from Khrushchev. According to the message, the military buildup was defensive in nature and not militarily threatening. Robert F. Kennedy informed the ambassador that the United States would closely watch all military activity in Cuba and warned of severe consequences should the Soviets place offensive weapons (Mills 233). President Kennedy apparently did not believe the ... ...were removed and the sites demolished. Khrushchev soon announced that he would concentrate on Russia's economic problems instead of international military matters. He asked for solutions from the West in solving the Berlin dilemma. He thought that "in the next war, the survivors will envy the dead" (Mills 246). On Christmas Eve, 1962, over $50 million of baby food and medical supplies were sent, and the Bay of Pigs prisoners were released. In April 1963, Kennedy had the Jupiter missiles removed from Turkey, and four months later, Russia signed the nuclear test ban treaty. A "hot line" teletype link now enabled instant communication between Moscow and Washington, and the US sold extra wheat and flour to the Soviet Union. The tide of the Cold War turned--for a little while (Mills 247). The crisis was the closest the world had ever come to global nuclear war and could possibly be the reason for Khrushchev's fall in 1964 ("Cuban" 774). Those thirteen days left the world in awe of the determination and responsibility of the Un ited States and its young president (Hersh 342). John Kennedy summarized his dealings with Khrushchev in just five words: "I cut his balls off" (Hersh 341).

Explain the Hardware, Software and Peripheral Components of a Computer System and the Functional Relation Between These Components

Explain the hardware, software and peripheral components of a computer system and the functional relation between these components. Fig: functions of the operating systems (1) 1-Hardware Hardware consists of physical equipment of the computer. We distinguish equipment within the Case such as: Power supply: it is the equipment that receives electricity from a DC current and converts it to a alternative current AC for the needs of the computer. The power supply may depends on the motherboard of the computer because the wattage varies depends on other equipment inside the computer. Fig 3: power supply (4) The motherboard: it is the main equipment of the computer. On it are stored and connected every other equipment. The motherboard is the central piece of the computer. We have many others components installed on the motherboards such as microprocessor, RAM, controller†¦ Fig 4: the motherboard (5) Microprocessor: it is the brain of the computer. it means that all the operation on the computer are made by the microprocessor. It is also known as CPU (central processing Unit). it can be measured in megahertz (MHz) or in Gigahertz depending of computer. he performance of the microprocessor is so important that it is essential to any customer to be aware of the number of calculations it can perform before buying a computer [23]. for example, Dell Optiplex 990 works with Intel Core i3 2100 (3. 1GHz). Fig 5: microprocessor (6) RAM: it is Random access memory. its role is to store instructions or data for a possible processing and its storage is temporally. it hold s a list of instructions of an information that is currently working. it can be accessed randomly, it means that it does not have to look in the storage device (hard disk) from the start to find a piece of interest [23]. When we switch off the computer any storage within the RAM, will be erased that is why we say the storage is temporally. RAM is the main memory because we can quickly access any files in the hard disk. Fig 6: RAM (7) ROM: it stands for read only memory. ROM differs from RAM in two ways: first it is not changed or erased after the computer is assembled, you can read it but cannot write on it, and second it remains unchanged even after the computer is turned off. [23] Fig:19 ROM [22] Hard disk: it is the component where data, files, operating systems are saved. t stored large amount of data depending on its size. the records stored are not volatile as in the RAM, but it remains until it is changed or deleted. it is measured in bytes. today we noticed that computer are almost hard disk capacity of 40 gigabytes. this performance of the disk capacity is one of the main measure when we are buying a computer. [23] Fig 7: the hard disk (8) Drive controllers: its role is to control data trans fer to and from the hard disk. it is a circuits that allows the CPU to communicate with the hard disk and the other kind of disk drive. or example the controller talks to the keyboard and to the mouse to enable the CPU to read information from them(2). we have drive controller such as IDE(integrated drive electronic) and SCSI (small computer systems interface) Fig 8:drive controllers (9) CD-ROM Drive: we use this drive to play and read CD-ROM (DISK COMPACT Read only memory) in the computer. we can also play audio CD. a typical capacity of the CD ROM is about 650 megabytes. they are now being overtaken by DVD (Digital Versatile Disk) because of their large capacity storage up to 3. 9 gigabytes. [23] Fig 9: CD ROM drive(10) Floppy drive: we use this drive to save or read data in a floppy disk. a floppy disk is a small and removable storage devices that record data in square plastic jacket. fig 10: floppy disk drive (11) 2- Software The computer software are programs that controls the computer hardware. They command the hardware and tell them what to do and how to do it. We have many kinds of software: operating systems software, application software, and drivers. Operating systems: it is a program that controls and manages the computer in every task. it controls the input and the output of the computer such as disk drives or scanner. Two of the main features of the operating systems are: -multi user: it means that two or more users can run programs at the same time, it is used particularly with mainframe and minicomputer (3) -multitasking: it means that it is able to execute more than one task at the same-time. For example we can play music in the computer and use the write a document in Microsoft word. We have many type of operating systems: -Windows (XP, VISTA, Windows 7†¦) -Mac OS X -Linux there are additional operating systems that we find on the computer. We called them systems tools of the computer. e use them for the routine maintenance. routine maintenance is different method we take to keep our computer safe and without problems. we have tools such as Disk defragmenter: it is a tool that we use to keep our computer running quickly and efficiently. it organizes and consolidates data on the hard disk, allowing the systems to run faster. we have to use it at least every week. [17] Disk cleanup: it is a tool that enables us to free space in the hard disk and improve the performance of the computer. we use it to remove and delete programs such as temporally internet files, or programs that we on’t use. [17] Backup, [17] Application software: they are programs designed to handle specific types of information and achieve useful results. We distinguish many kinds of application software: -word processing: in those applications we can create text documents. E. g. Microsoft word -database: in those applications we can create and edit data records. E. g. Filemarker pro -presentation graphics: we have the possibility to draw, create 2D and 3D graphics. E. g Corel Draw -media player: with those applications we can play Video, MP3, and other audio formats. E. g. QuickTime player It facts application software depends on platforms and operating systems. for example there are some applications that cannot work in Drivers: there is a program that controls a particular hardware device. Devices such as keyboard, monitor and printer are controls by a driver. Without those drivers the devices cannot function properly. 3-Peripheral components of the computer the peripheral components of the computer can be input or output devices such as: Monitor: it is a device made as a screen where information is represented. it is one of the most important peripheral components of the computer. Fig 11: monitor (12) Keyboard: it is a device that we use to write or enter data text into the computer. Fig 12: keyboard (13) Mouse: it can be defined as a device composed of one or many button that we used to select or to choose specific things through a pointer in a screen. fig 13: mouse(14) Printer: it is a device that we use to represent physically text or graphic data or information stored in the computer. We represent it through a paper. we have many kinds of printer: Dot matrix printer: it can print up to 200 characters per seconds; the print head is hammered very rapidly over the paper. Laser jet printer and ink jet printer. fig14: ink jet printer (15) Scanner: it is a input device used to scan or copy pictures, text to the computer. fig 15: scanner [16] Digital camera: it is a device that we use to record video. We can transfer our recorded video to our computer, and edit them, or email them to friends. fig 16: digital camera[19] Loudspeakers: we use these devices to play music or to use some application that involves sound hearing. fig 17: computer loudspeakers [20] Microphone: we use microphone to create or record a voice or a sound . ometimes we use it for communicating with friends via internet. [18] fig 18: computer microphone [21] References: 1-www. cisco. co. uk 2-http://encyclopedia2. thefreedictionary. com/Hard+drive+controller 3-http://www. webopedia. com/TERM/M/multi_user. html 4-http://trustcomputers. co. uk/index. php? main_page=index&cPath=2 5-http://www. teach-ict. com/gcse/hardware/parts/miniweb/motherboard. htm 6-http://www. cpu-world. com/CPUs/K10 /TYPE-Sempron. html 7-http://www. pcextreme. net/news/your-ram-check-it/ 8-http://www. novell. com/coolsolutions/appnote/16837. html 9-http://www. techarp. om/showarticle. aspx? artno=388&pgno=2 10- http://www. powersourceonline. com/buy-equipment/ibm-Parts/10K3782/31776879-10K3782-cy-en. jsa 11_http://www. darlingtoncomputerrepairs. co. uk/index. php? main_page=product_info&cPath=58_100&products_id=87 12- http://www. lcd-monitor-reviews. com/lcd-monitor-reviews/iiyama-AS4611UT-lcd-monitor-review. html 13- http://voices. canonical. com/joey. stanford/2007/11/ 14- http://www. tomshardware. com/reviews/microsoft-breeds-unique-mice,1554-2. html 15-http://www. inkandmedialtd. co. uk/blog/epson-r300-inkjet-printer-review/ 16-http://www. letsgodigital. rg/html/events/PHOTOKINA-2004/news/epson/PERFECTION-4180_en. html 17-http://www. microsoft. com/atwork/maintenance/speed. aspx 18-www. camcorderinfo. com/content/Glossary. htm 19-http://digital-cameras-planet. com/ 20-http://www. comparesto reprices. co. uk/Trust-computer-speakers-reviews. asp 21-http://www. custom-product. com/wholesale-items/662/714-1/computer-microphone-cm-9002-129285. html 22-http://www. novopc. com/2008/09/rom-read-only-memory/ 23- Brendan Munnelly, Paul Holden, 2000, ECDL3 the complete coursebook, Prentice Hall, Redacteurs Software Documentation Limited 2000

Art Analysis: Midsummer Night in Harlem, by Palmer Hayden Essay

‘Midsummer Night in Harlem is an oil painting painted by Palmer Hayden. Palmer C. Hayden was an American painter who depicted African-American life as he saw it, especially during the Harlem Renaissance. The painting Midsummer Night in Harlem appears to depict African American people departing and relaxing after an evening at church in Harlem. This painting shows the energy and positive attitudes of the people through the use of vibrant colors and the happy expressions of the faces. The people in this picture have features that were comparable to the minstrel characters (Wikipedia, 26 July 2013) often depicting Black face. Many have very dark skin with big white eyes and teeth, and are all smiles. All of the people are dressed nicely in dresses for the women and girls, top hats and slacks for the men and boys. It is safe to assume that the people in the picture had just came from church, because in the background you clearly see the church and a handful of people walking out as well as a carload of people driving off. The most prominent line in this art work would be vertical, because it leads the eye up /down and down/up and conveys the activity in the picture. Upon first inspection of this work, my eyes are drawn to the church as focal point, mainly because of the positioning of the church and the use of the vertical line from the moon to the kid at the fire hydrant. This identifies the viewers’ point of view and also shows how the moon is used as the light source, as well as the street light positioned just in front of the church. The illusion of space around the church leading up to the moon in the sky is utilized to draw your eye upward as if to signify that it is nighttime. The illusion of depth is utilized here in many ways by the appearance of distance created from the people by the church in back to the increase of people by the apartment steps in front. Aerial perspective is used in this painting by the lack of visual detail of the people by the church, like their facial features and their clothing. Midsummer Night in Harlem has a distinct unity of composition throughout the entire piece that helps the viewer relate the symbolism of the church and moon in back, to the people nicely dressed and congregating on the apartment steps in front. The forms in this artwork are utilized by the use of many three-dimensional shapes with length, width and depth, like the apartment buildings, the car and the church. Contrast is used throughout the work to help guide your eye from the apartment buildings to the church, and the people. Movement is used in this piece by the use of lines, contrasting shapes and colors to guide the viewers’ eye throughout the composition. In this work of art, our eyes move upward from lines of the little boy by the hydrant up to the people looking out of windows of the apartment. From there, our eyes move to the slight contrast in colors of the church and the moon in the sky. A good amount of balance is created in this art work by the way the colors and shapes are combined in harmony. In this image, Hayden achieves a sense of balance by dividing the image in two sections: the right side is occupied by details of people with distinct features while the left side lacks a great amount of detail in the people and focuses on the church and moon. Midsummer Night in Harlem has a color scheme that is analogous because the colors work in harmony and is very pleasing to the eye. The main colors in this painting are red, brown, white and grey. The value of the colors used in this art work is set to dark while the intensity and brightness is set to medium. For example, the reds, burgundy and brown used in the picture (especially for the apartment buildings and clothing) are warm but appear a little toned down in color. Hayden creates emphasis through color and position throughout this piece. For example the faces of the people ranges in intensity by the dark faces and bright smiles as mentioned earlier. Also the outfits worn by the people demonstrate emphasis in color; some are wearing white while others are in print and color. In conclusion, the painting Midsummer Night in Harlem utilizes a vertical directional line that illustrates that there is some movement in the picture, yet is calming in effect. The main implied shape throughout this art work is a rectangle which also induces a calming effect. The painting has a slight contrast of color with an analogous harmony throughout. The overall illusion of depth and space in this piece provides unity and balance to the composition.