Driving force in the lives of many people Essay

Nowadays materialism is a driving force in the lives of many people, motivating them to their achievements as many people argue. Although, it is considered that humans are controlled by their own avarice, I believe that people are simply motivated to achieve by personal satisfaction. As cynical as I am, I do not think that money and fame are a stimulus to people. Rather they accomplish their goals for personal and emotion gain, not physical. When recently learning the topic of motivation in my Psychology class, we discussed what the main driving force is for a person. Though there are many theories arguing the issue, a person can be mostly content when fulfilling a goal for their own personal satisfaction, not for a physical reward. When this subject, I also learned that one’s happiness and self-esteem are one of the major aspects of being a well-balanced person. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs includes psychological and emotional needs as the highest priority. With this I can conclude that those who strive to achieve goals do it for their own bliss. Money and fame may seem like the a dream come true , but like it is always said, â€Å"money can’t buy you happiness†. There are countless numbers of wealthy people and celebrities who live lavish lives that anyone else would die to have, but they are as miserable and lonely as one can be. I find it beautiful that in today’s society people strive to pursue their own interests without having the end result of money leading their decisions. There is a countless number of underprivileged, even poor artists, journalists, musicians, writers, etc. that enjoy their life fully, waking up every day to go to a job they simply love. Thus, money and fame can never be a satisfying reward without happiness. All in all, in my opinion, people are motivated to achieve by personal satisfaction rather than a physical reward such as money or fame. I consider that contentment is more important than anything to a human being, because fulfilling something for money or fame can lead to disappointment, thus straining ones emotional needs. We ask ourselves: what motivates us, to get up every morning, to go to school, to study, to wear what we wear, to act how we act? We do it basically to satisfy our needs, no to reward us with a prize, but because it is what we want, what makes us happy, and what pleases us emotionally.

Eid vs Christmas Essay

In the building with the blue windows and the diamond shaped roof tops, children dressed in red and green with rosy cheeks, were gaily singing: â€Å"Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle all the way! Oh what fun it is to ride in a one more hoppin’ slay! Hey! †¦ Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! † In the building across the street, with the pink windows and the mosque behind it, families were visiting each other in their newly bought clothes and shining shoes, wishing each other: Eid Mubarak, Dear Brother, Dear Sister May Allah’s blessings be bestowed upon you and your family! † The year 2008 is host to Christmas and Eid al Adha during the same month, only a few days apart. One would notice that decorations and celebrations favour one of the Religious Holidays over the other. Why have we chosen to commercialise Christmas and not the Islamic event of Eid? How is it that worldwide Christmas is rejoiced at an extreme point of merriment, whereas Eid al Ad ha is commemorated only within its Islamic communities? The historical references of the birth of Christ (As) and the sacrifice of Ibrahim(As) and his son are known within both religions and are testimonies of social gatherings. Actually, in our Islamic religion we learn that Ibrahim (As) would sacrifice his son Ismael (As) in Makah, while among the Christians, they believe that Ibrahim (As) would sacrifice his son Isaac (As), not Ismael (As), in Palestine. Artists painted the scenes, poets rhymed the stories, authors researched the history, all in tribute to the religious aspect of the culture of their upbringings. So, why is Christmas the prize of the globalization of the market, and not Eid al Adha? Why is Christmas more widely accepted as a commercial Holiday and not Eid? Throughout history, religion has been a battleground for the survival of cultures and traditions. Territory was fought for based on religion, international communications broke down because of different convictions. Yet, the holidays seem to unite even people who are the farthest apart. Thanksgiving, Easter, Ramadan, Eid al Fitr, Eid al Adha and Christmas are celebrations that should be known worldwide; and for the most part they are. In the United States and Canada they honour Thanksgiving, also most westren countries have Easter and Christmas holidays; the Orient celebrate with some of these holidays. However, come Ramadan or Eid, and only the immediate Islamic based countries, like the Middle East and the South-Asian countries, know the details of the holiday. Abu Dhabi is an example of a multi-tradition and multi-cultural city. Every year, Ramadan is noticed and felt all over the city, even its peripheries. Usually, both Eids are just as important as Ramadan is. Nonetheless, this year, because Christmas and Eid al Adha are so close to each other, the shopping malls, hotels and other retail outlets are decorated with the spirit of Christmas and not the joy of Eid al Adha. The controversy is that this is an Islamic country, yet the atmosphere feels very occidental. There are Islamic countries that allow a one-day or two-day holiday scheme for Christmas, whereas Western countries don’t instigate the notion of respecting the religion of others in their society. This demonstrates the respect Islamic based governments have towards their inhabitants, what does it say about the Occident? The Islamic goverments does no justice to the foundation of its roots. It is quite disappointing when the nation’s leaders are not intervening and stating that Eid is as important as Christmas; maybe even more so! This is a country whose laws and government regulations are born from the Quran itself. True, Jesus’ (As) birth is a belief amongst Muslims, but so is the sacrificial symbol of the Adha a belief amongst the Christians and other religions in the world. Why can’t all cultures adopt the Islamic tradition of gifting children with new clothes and taking them out to restaurants and amusement parks? The government does not encourage Eid as much as it allows public places to be enveloped in Christmas decorations. In France, the Arab communities hold visitations and share in Islamic customs within their brotherhood, whilst around them Christmas carols are sung and the city is embellished in tinsel and goblins, awaiting the arrival of â€Å"Santa Claus†, or in their terms â€Å"Pere Noel. In Dubai, much like Abu Dhabi, hotels and restaurants have special Christmas luncheons. Shops and Malls give away special offers during the ‘Festive Season’. There is yet to be established an Eid theme blanketing the cities where Islam is the religion of base, like that of Christmas. What is even more upsetting is that Christmas is in itself less religious and more commercial than it was 500 years ago. Christmas has a face, a fi gure one can imagine when thinking of the Holiday: a jolly man, with a red suit and a white beard. He did not always look like this. â€Å"Santa Claus† acquired his red suit and the big belly through a Coca Cola advertisement in 1931. His image changed, distorted almost, into what we know now as â€Å"Ho! Ho! Ho! Merry Christmas! † by many cartoonists. â€Å"Through the centuries, Santa Claus has been depicted as everything from a tall gaunt man to an elf. He has worn a bishop’s robe and a Norse huntsman’s animal skin. The modern-day Santa Claus is a combination of a number of the stories from a variety of countries†*. (Coca-cola. om) Children stop believing in him at a very early age, whereas before, they would reach the age of maturity and only then learn that â€Å"Santa Claus† is a spirit of St. Nicholas. Eid al Adha, was, is and always will be the same. The story never changes. The facts are facts, not subject to individual interpretation. Families pass on the same heritage that remains untouched, untainted, unpenetrated by social ref orm. In conclusion, I strongly believe that the injustice the Islamic governors does, the discrimination between religions should be educated to a halt. Eid al Adha is my upbringing. Within my family, an uncle has a Christian wife, their house is always decorated with Christmas twinkles during the season; this year, they waited with the decorations until after Eid al Adha. As a Muslim in an Islamic society, I have been brought up to respect all religions and beliefs by our Islamic governments; so why now can’t the Islamic governments respect their religion that they take oath to respect, protect, and maintain it?

Aristotles concept of justice Essay Example for Free

Aristotle’s concept of justice Essay In his book The Nichomachean Ethics, Aristotle discusses the concept of justice in Book V. Justice is used with its many different connotations. However, in order to explain the statement that justice can only be found in the laws established by the state I would like to point out the last two types of justice and the notion of equity Aristotle refers to in his book. The first is natural justice, true for everyone, and next to that there is conventional justice which can differ in different societies and there is the notion of equity that works in unusual cases. With understanding these three concepts we can reach to the conclusion that according to Aristotle justice can not only be found in the laws established by the state and he is right in claiming such an idea. Anyone who is a virtuous person can also be just. But not everyone who is just is also virtuous. Would you consider someone who kills the murderer of his wife a murderer? Would you put him in the same position as Jack the Ripper? Do you think justice is protected by the law? Is it just to stone adulteresses to death even if it complies with the law? Which law is just and which is not? What are the criteria? Are the laws of the state enough to maintain justice?Such questions can be boosted up to thousands if one starts to think about justice, itsconnotations and the relation between justice and law. The debate is a long-lasting one. In his book The Nichomachean Ethics, Aristotle discusses the concept of justice in Book V. Justice is used with its many different connotations. There is particular justice, distributive justice, reciprocal justice, political and social justice, domestic justice, natural and conventional justice. I would like to point out the last two types of justice in order to understand Aristotle’s idea of law and justice relation in a state. According to Aristotle, there is natural justice, true for everyone, and next to that there is conventional justice which can differ in different societies. Natural justice is the kind of justice that can be applied to every human being regardless of nation, race, religion, etc. It has the same validity everywhere and do not depend on acceptance. Aristotle argues that â€Å"the things which are not just by nature but by human enactment are not everywhere the same, since constitutions are not the same, though there is  by one which is everywhere by nature the best† (124). Accordingly, the conventional justice is set by the society and in some cases by the rulers of the society. However, Aristotle suggests that, for the laws established by the state, a law can be just whether it is for the advantage of the law makers or the rulers or the dominant class. In The Nichomachean Ethics, he says that â€Å"the laws†¦on all subjects aim at the common advantage either of all or of the best or of those who hold power†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (108). He adds that every kind of conventional justice is created in one way from the natural justice and it is normal that they may differ from one society to another. For instance it is by the law to drive on a certain side in Turkey and in Britain people drive on the other side of the road. Both laws are created to maintain justice and order. However there are laws which are created by the state such as the law that women have to wear veils which seems to us not just but what is important to Aristotle is not what we think but how that society with that particular law is affected. As long as the law works for the society, regardless of its rightness, it maintains justice. Let’s give an example, at the times of Roman Empire the gladiators fight with each other or with lions, they know that they are going to die at the arena but they do not show any fear, they fight with their honors and they die with an honorable death. Mentioning that laws are created to be functional, to stabilize and control the society, Aristotle talks about the â€Å"equitable justice† in which he stresses that there are cases in which the universal law or justice does not suit to the case in hand. He suggests that laws guide people in the direction of justice but they do not encompass all the cases about justice or injustice. In such conditions he suggests that the judge interferes and corrects â€Å"the law where it is defective owing to its universality† (133). Equity means the correction of the law when it is too abstract for the situation in hand. Aristotle here suggests that the judge or the legislator should find the balance and give the right decision in such situations. Taking these ideas into consideration, according to Aristotle, the laws of  the state are enough to maintain justice for their people only to a certain extent because in some cases the decision making authority is not the law but the jud ge. I think Aristotle is right in making such a claim because of many reasons. First of all, if the conventional laws are the extensions of natural laws and the natural laws are universal and do not change in any situation but still there are circumstances in which the natural law is tooabstract for the case and the judge and the legislator is the one who is to adapt the law to the case, we can not say that either the natural laws or the conventional laws (the laws established by the state) maintains the justice. Furthermore, if there arecases in which the law does not work, we can not say that the laws established by the state maintain the justice at all times unless we see the starting argument as a generalization. However it is also not possible to know the qualities of the judge whether he is biased toward the case that he balances with the law. Accordingly there may be some cases in which justice may not be maintained because of the origin (in Aristotle’s words â€Å"universality†) of the law does not cover the case or because of the judge’s personal qualities. Consequently if the conventional laws are the extensions of natural laws and the natural laws are universal and do not change in any situation but still there are circumstances in which the natural law is too abstract for the case and the judge and the legislator is the one who is to adapt the law to the case, we can not say that either the natural laws or the conventional laws (the laws established by the state) maintains the justice. Aristotle’s concept of justice. (2016, Jul 25).

Research paper on Witness Lee, founder of Living Stream Ministries

On Witness Lee, founder of Living Stream Ministries - Research Paper Example Lee was an influential preacher of Christianity and used to emphasize upon the experiences of the life of the Christ as he believes that the followers could carry out the goals of God through proper understanding about oneness of Body of Christ. He established the Living Stream Ministry in 1965. It was located in Anaheim California. The minister worked for the publication and spread of the works and books of Witness Lee and Watchman Nee (Huei Liu, p182). Lee carried efforts for the establishment of local churches in Western hemisphere and South East Asia. As part of local church movement several churches were also founded in Russian and eastern European countries. Lee believes that the local churches are the Lord’s Recovery. He also divulged the living stream minister version of Bible that is called as â€Å"The Recovery Version†. It is based upon the belief that God moves to establish a thing for the first time and when it is destroyed by Satan God moves second time to recover the loss made by Satan (Nee, p89). According to Lee, the creation of the universe is also based upon this cycle as it is written in Genesis that God created heaven and earth that became empty and water and then during the six days of creation God worked for the recovery of earth and heaven. The Jewish temple built by Solomon was destroyed and Jews recovered it after returning to Jerusalem. He teaches that the churches were built in the 1st century and destroyed during the dark ages and now they are being recovered in the age of reformation. He founded the living stream ministry also to affirm that the local churches are evidences of recovery of Christ. The preaching of Lee are based upon the thought that Lord Recovery is simply the recovery of Christ that is often viewed as recovery of genuine oneness and proper church life however; these two things are also actually the recovery of the Christ that is everything for the believers. He taught that the believers of Christ have to remain determent upon their beliefs in oneness of God. There are two aspects of Lord Churches; local and universal that express the body of Christ in the locality. The universal aspect of churches is explained in Matthew 15 and Epistles whereas the local aspect of church has been presented by Lord in Matthew 18, apostles, the Epistles and Revelation (Piepkorn, 78). Lee insists upon the importance of Churches in the lives of the believers that they could understand the oneness of Lord by apostle addresses in Church’s meetings where they have to declare that we are the church. The local churches should be visited by the genuine Christ’s believers rather calling them Baptist, Catholic or Methodist that is against the oneness of belief in Christ and churches. Lee also threw the light upon the importance of following Lord Commands while understanding the functionality of the economy. He frequently used the phrase God’s economy to present that thought that economy is a subject of Bible because the economy is like household of God and he has defined the laws to run the economy on his lines in order to gain the corporate expression of Him (Bays, p312). He spent considerable portion of his life travelling and spreading the message of the Local Churches and their importance. He also worked to establish the â€Å"New way† so that he could eliminate the odd thinking about the local churches. He decided that the new way is based upon four major pillars. At first the meetings are arranged at

Capstone Research Project Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words - 2

Capstone Project - Research Paper Example It is the view of this paper the Department of Homeland Security should come up with better screening strategies, efficient devices and trained staff in order to minimize or prevent any attack. Effective security is a matter of concern that should be paid attention to because it affects every nation (Silke, 2003). Globally, terrorism attacks have been noted to occur frequently in several countries. Such attacks usually end up in massive destruction because of lack of preparedness. Silke highlights that most of the attacks that have been reported occur during transportation and especially air travel. He states that long air travels are usually targeted because they give the terrorists’ time to plan the attack without being noticed unlike the short journeys. According to Silke (2003), many attacks are conducted by individuals or small entities that claim to have a relation with the Al-Qaida. Terrorism attacks in the United States still remain a matter of concern because they emanate from within the country and internationally. There has been an increase in the activities in the recent few years hence calling for the need of restructuring of policies and strategies tha t will counter the attacks. Counterterrorism success in the United States is reducing due to management and ineffective security actions in the security department (State News Service, 2013). Before the 9/11 attacks, screening for explosives in the aviation sector was limited to certain baggage especially those in international flights (Rollestone, 2012). After the attacks, the aviation and transportation security unit came up with strict policies and insisted on 100% screening of baggage on international flights to and from America. After the attacks, there was a safety upgrade in the transport sector where devices such as sensors, scanners and cameras that monitored the movement

Japan's Financial Crisis and Economic Stagnation Research Paper

Japan's Financial Crisis and Economic Stagnation - Research Paper Example The sheer size of the cost, along with the interaction among the related economic problems, has made a decisive resolution of the problems politically difficult†2. Some economists blamed the macroeconomic factors for Japan’s crisis whereas others blamed microeconomic factors for that. In fact, Japanese ministry of finance and its lack of transparency, delay in changing monetary policy, lack of rules based regulations and its links to corporations & banks have led to economic stagnation & will be difficult to reform the system. Japan’s financial crisis and economic stagnation â€Å"Non performing debt in the banking sector hampered the growth and recovery of the whole Japanese economy†3. As in the case of recent global financial crisis, Japanese financial crisis also started from the banking sector. â€Å"Even though the share of loans to the manufacturing sector has been decreasing, Japanese banks have expanded their overall lending business since 1970. As a result, the outstanding amount of loans to the manufacturing sector has been increasing†4. The huge outstanding amount in the manufacturing sector caused severe problems in the functioning of the Japanese banks. No banks can operate effectively unless the lending and repayment achieve certain equilibrium or balancing. However, in 1980’s, Japanese banks struggled to function properly because of the huge amounts of its money blocked in the manufacturing sector. Manufacturing units in Japan became financially sounder in 1970’s which encouraged them to use the internal resources more frequently rather than relying on banks for everything. â€Å"Major Japanese manufacturing firms drastically reduced their reliance on bank loans in the late-1970s from more than 30% to less than 10%†5. In other words, manufacturing units stopped their transactions with the banks and at the same time they had shown little interests in repaying its mortgages. In an attempt to in crease the business, Japanese banks started to reduce the interest rates; however, the manufacturing units have shown little interests in taking or repaying loans which caused tremendous stagnation in the banking industry. Before the economic stagnation, Japanese banks sanctioned mortgages to all the people who approached them for assistance. People on the other hand have taken huge amounts of loans from Japanese banks and spent it for non-productive purposes. As a result of that Japan’s economic growth started to decline. â€Å"From 1985 to 1990, Japan experienced an asset bubble of unprecedented proportions. From 1990, the bubble began to burst. The bursting of this bubble left banks throughout Japan- both large and small- in financial distress†6. Real economic growth and strength of financial systems in any country are directly related. In other words, when real economy travel in one direction, financial system also travel in that direction and when the real economy travel in another direction financial systems also follow the same path. In other words, any problem occurs to either of one may affect the other one also. The above facts are true in the case of Japan also. Poor economy in Japan is hurting banking system in one way whereas poor performances of the banking system contributing heavily to the poor health of the economy in another way. There are certain

National culture and management style Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

National culture and management style - Essay Example It has been recognised that the managers as well as the employees in distinct cultures tend to introduce the codes of behavior as well as norms related to their own cultures in their workplace. The organisational processes as well as the managerial practices tend to be shaped with the assistance of these norms as cultural values. It is because of these reasons the organisation tends to implement numerous management practices. The national cultural values are discovered quickly, held quite deeply and can be altered slowly over the period of generation (ITAP International, 2012). Cultural participation is quite higher among certain groups of United Kingdom. The rate of participation tends to be quite higher among those in the upper socio economic groups along with the least deprived areas of England. The structure of involvement with the culture as well as sports alters widely in terms of region, there are few regional trends. It has been noted that in the North East of the UK there has been rise in the amount of people visiting museums, archives, galleries and heritage sites. However, the ratio of people visiting libraries remained steady. The phenomenon took place alongside an extensive fall in library visits in most of the other regions (National Statistics, 2011). It was since January to December 2010, nearly 34.8 per cent of the adults had involved themselves in culture digitally which had risen from 2008/2009. By the term ‘digital participation’ it can be comprehended as visiting a museum or gallery, theatre or concert, library or records w ebsites of offices for any purpose except buying tickets (National Statistics, 2011). Furthermore, it was observed that from January to December 2010, 72.4 percent of those who were between 16 to 24 years old had been observed to perform active sports, and this statistics had fallen from 2005/2006 (National Statist

Aerodynamics Homework Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Aerodynamics Homework - Essay Example ility develops forces that move it further from its position and neutral stability enables the aircraft to maintain the position without moving forward and backward. Control refers to the effectiveness of displacement of regulating features of an aircraft that determines the rate at which the attitudes and direction of flight can be altered. Aircraft control plays a critical role in other features such as stability and maneuvarabilty since it can easily respond to manipulations. Maneuverability is the ability of an aircraft to change direction and attitude as required. Maneuverability is vital in maintaining the stability of an aircraft. This implies that for an aircraft to maintain stability, it must have the tendency of returning to the straight, upright and level attitude (Skiba, 2002). Maintaining a straight level flight and a suitable stability requires aircraft designers build bodies in different levels of static and dynamic stability. The wings of the Spirit of St. Louis were attached above the weight. Charles Lindberg was impressed with the lateral stability of aircraft because the weight that was low above the wing would act as a pendulum to minimise chances of rolling if one if one wing dropped. This type of stability is positive since it was intended to return the aircraft to its original position in case of a disturbance (Skiba,

Foundation of Business Analysis Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Foundation of Business Analysis - Case Study Example The significant confidence is 88% implying that the it does not mee the 95% required confidence The results didn’t show any significant statistical variance between the hypothesized entrà ©e price (p = 0.118 OR 0.059) and the sample data. Therefore we fail to reject the null hypothesis and conclude that patrons will be willing to pay $18 for an entree, which is the same as the prediction of the forecast model. The finding shows that most patrons are willing to pay $18. A one-sample t-test is taken to check if patrons can spend $200for an entrà ©e as per the forecast model specification. The significant confidence is 100% implying that the significance confidence it meet the 95% required confidence. For this case the confidence level exceed the 95% minimum threshold therefore we are taking the alternative hypothesis (Weiers 54). A one-sample t-test is taken to check if the location is in ZIP 7 for an entrà ©e as per the forecast model specification. The significant confidence is 100% implying that the significance confidence it meet the 95% required confidence. For this case the confidence level exceed the 95% minimum threshold therefore we are taking the alternative hypothesis. at p=0.01 the likelihood of people with different income levels gave a relationship of 0.775, at 0.000 level of significance. Thus value is high showing a higher likelihood to patronize the restaurant by people of different income level. At p=0.01, the t=7.710 for simple dà ©cor was high than for elegant dà ©cor t=-8.906. this was considered at 95% confidence level. In addition, the mean value (3.58) of the patrons preferred simple dà ©cor. While the patrons preferring elegant dà ©cor had mean value(2.33) which is a lower value. Patrons prefers live entertainment given that the majority love listening to Jazz cambo (t=11.385) at p=0.01 confidence level. Fewer patrons prefer listening to string quarter (t=-7.009) at confidence

Video Game Design Essay Example for Free

Video Game Design Essay Video games is no doubt the widely celebrated market leading the entertainment industry for youngsters. From the basic Atari consoles with mere up and down buttons and a special plastic rifle spewing infra red bullets to Level Up internet games where you can fight opponents in the other side of the world, this violent entertainment industry is definitely not stopping from evolving into a bigger money making monster. News reports further observe that â€Å"fueled by a growing portable gaming market, sales of video game software and hardware topped . 5 billion, a six percent increased over 2004s $9. 9 billion and topping 2002, which held the previous record of $10. 2 billion, according to The NPD Group. † (CNNMoney. com. , 2006) The industry is not devoid of morale and ethical issues despite its support from the business sector and overwhelming support from its consumers. In fact, conferences of video game event are worldwide in scope. The Entertainment Software Association are preparing for the E3EXPO slated for next year. â€Å"E3Expo remains an important event for the industry and we want to keep that sense of excitement and interest, ensuring that the human and financial resources crucial to its success can be deployed productively to create an exciting new format to meet the needs of the industry. The new event ensures that there will be an effective and more efficient way for companies to get information to media, consumers, and others,† (ESA, 2006) as its leader Lowenstein promoted. With video gamers on one side, video game creators on another, the public continues to debate on the issue of social responsibility in this video game industry. Who is responsible for all the violence found in video games? Debates arise from the breadth of the studies against video games to those that could see measures that regulate the games aimed at protecting young minds who could not distinguish from real to non real. These debates arise because people acknowledge the social responsibility that needs to be addressed. Social responsibility is the vanguard of the morales of a community. When something is not ethical, these two words are brought up like a bell that calls people into order. In the video gaming industry, where sex and violence reach both adult and juvenile minds, where gamers can spend days on end in front of a monitor totally locked in a world of play and totally forgetting his other social duties and responsibilities, something is not right. Video game designers must be socially responsible not to design games that are violent. They should not step outside market decision. There is no such thing as letting the market decide in this age of complex marketing and advertising tactics and strategies. Social and psyschological studies would prove that issues arising from violent video games must find immediate solutions from all stakeholders including designers. â€Å"Not only can excessive video game playing cause behavioral and social changes in a person, but it can also result in neurological changes as well. A recent study utilized positron emission tomography in order to show that levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine increased while playing video games. (Ingram, 1998) â€Å"The Columbine High School massacre occurred on Tuesday, April 20, 1999, at Columbine High School in unincorporated Jefferson County, Colorado, near Denver and Littleton. Two teenage students, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, carried out a shooting rampage, killing 12 fellow students and a teacher, as well as wounding 24 others, before committing suicide. It is considered to be the deadliest school shooting, and the second deadliest attack on a school in United States history after the Bath School disaster. † (Wikipedia. com. 2006) The advent of video games was expected with the development of software and computer hardware industries. Tracing back, the need for entertainment increased the need to develop technologies that would cater to this need. The need for entertainment was spawned by the decline of social values that are based on physical social interaction. This is not over simplification. Statistics show that one of three six year old have their own televisions in their room. The alarming statistics should make the community act on these issues. Unfortunately, the community itself is hooked on these video games where society’s need to release their frustrations can be exhausted. Doctors believe that whatever the content, children and adults must not be hooked on technologies like the computer and television for more than two hours a day. American statistics note an average of five hours of television and computer use a day. Health risks due to technologies are on a rise. One of three people in America is obese due to improper diet and lack of exercise. One of ten teenagers have been jailed for at least five times before turning eighteen. It is a fact that parents hold two jobs to sustain a family. One million children a year become member of divorced households. The need to be entertained exists because a void in the values exists. And this void is being nurtured by sex and violence found in games created by the very same people who are void of this nurturing. There is no amount of creative video game that can replace family and social dynamics. Violence is violence. As it is, the juveniles are desensitized from blood and gore so much so that the need for more blood and gore leads to more blood and gore. Unlike television, video game is an interactive system. The creator is the one who thinks of the big plot where all subplots follow. He is the one who creates the characters that the gamers choose from the start. How can the creator not be responsible for something he created when he is a member of society who will feel and face the consequences of his creations. Maybe these video game creators rake in millions of dollars now but a few years from now, the wars they create and on the video console will become flesh and blood as proven by recent bomb attacks. But no matter how violent this creative output becomes, American dare not cross the right to free speech. Courts are also in disparities. â€Å"Our contemporary court decisions show that the right to free speech is more important to us than eliminating offensive content about women, says Ren Reynolds. Whether games even qualify as speech, though, is still up for debate. St. Louis County recently asserted that games are not speech, and therefore are not protected under the First Amendment. However, in a separate case, the 7th Circuit U. S. District Court of Appeals found that games are speech. Most of us, including feminists concerned by representations of women, are not in favor of diminishing our rights under the First Amendment. † (Hall, 2002). Video game creators cannot forever run away from their social responsibility. Sooner or later these young creative dynamic people at the prime of their lives will become old. They will one day see themselves at the hands of their caregivers in hospices. Their game buddies would be in other hospices as well remember good old killing days of blood and gore. They must not expect society to be as compassionate when they can’t keep up the level of their games when they grow old. Investing on one’s future is answering to the call for social responsibility. This responsibility is not in the hands of just a few but in all of the stakeholders. Being responsible is just like thinking about creating the bomb that can be dropped in Hiroshima. The Chernobyl accident effects have been passed on to generations in the enviornment as well as with their people. It is only when creators give true service to the community when they are truly creative and worthy of awards. Reference CNN Money. Video game set sales record in 2005 January 14, 2006: 3:56 PM EST Game Boy, PSP lift the industry, despite languid holiday season http://money. cnn. com/2006/01/13/technology/personaltech/gamesales/index. htm ESA. Entertainment Software Association Announces Evolution of E3Expo for 2007 http://www. theesa. com/archives/2006/07/for_immediate_r. php Hall, Wesley. Kitchen Sink. Oakland: Oct 31, 2002. Virtual Morality; Violence and Ethics in Video Games Vol. 1, Iss. 1; pg. 75 Ingram, Jay. June 12, 1998 Positron Emission Tomography Wikipedia. com. 2006

Structure and Development of Curriculum

Structure and Development of Curriculum Introduction The curriculum is not a simple word that can be defined; it is a discipline that consists of many factors that ultimately create the curriculum. Upon reading further into this subject, it has become obvious that the curriculum is a complex field and is more likely to reveal that many authors, scholars, academic writers each have a definition describing what the curriculum best means to them or its best definition in the context they discuss. This paper will focus on the Australian Curriculum and will attempt to address issues such as the various definitions of the curriculum, the purpose or goal of the curriculum, how the curriculum is developed, the structure of the curriculum, how the curriculum is influenced by different learning theories, the processes of teaching, learning and assessment and how the curriculum relates to 21st Century learners. Incorporating these factors and understanding this information will allow the reader to formulate his or her own educated definition of t he curriculum whilst recognising the primary features which influence learning within our schools. Definition of Curriculum and its Stakeholders Several definitions surround the meaning of curriculum; to get an overview of the definition we can throw relevant words together such as plan, objective, content, subject matter, opportunities, guidelines, framework, experiences or strategies, although in order to make sense of these words and their relationship to the curriculum we must connect these words in a logical pattern. Authors and academics Brady Kennedy (2010, p.5) simply state In seeking to understand better the role of the curriculum in the 21st century, the purpose should be to ensure that children and young people are well equipped to handle whatever it is that this century will call them to do and be, in other words, there must be a common interest and a common bond by all those involved, while Marsh and Willis (2007, as cited in Marsh, 2010, p.93) define curriculum as an interrelated set of plans and experiences which a student completes under the guidance of the school. Other definitions of the curriculum arise, d ependant on the stakeholders in question, these stakeholders are people who have an interest in the curriculum, its formation and its delivery. The business community feel that the curriculum must be able to support students in their future employment opportunities while preparing them for the economic needs of society (Brady Kennedy, 2010) and parent groups are concerned that the curriculum could be manipulated by government bodies for academic analysis instead of concentrating on equipping their children with the appropriate knowledge and experiences for a successful future (Brady Kennedy, 2010). ACARA (2010c) describes the new National curriculum as a broad scope and sequence of core learning. Critical decisions about the total educational program and how it will be implemented and adapted to meet the needs and interests of students will be the responsibility of education authorities, schools, teachers, parents and students Marsh (2010, p.24) provides a list of stakeholders with whom the National Curriculum Board (NCB), now known as the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) consults Government Federal/State Minister for Education, Council of Australian Governments, Premiers, State/Territory ministers, Federal opposition, State/Territory opposition Education authorities Government and Non-Government Schools, Australasian Curriculum, Assessment and Certification Authorities (ACACA), Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR). Professional associations Unions, Business, Employers School-based Principals, Administrators, Teachers, Students Community Parents, Parent groups, Parent Associations Tertiary Sector Universities, TAFE, Industry training sectors, Academics From this information it is evident that the curriculum is complex, detailed and is influenced by many groups. Fundamentally, it is a plan that consists of goals/aims, content and achievement standards for each subject to be taught within Australian schools, in other words, the curriculum is a planned description of the what, how and when of teaching, learning and assessment. Understanding the foundation of curriculum, we can now concentrate on the goal of the curriculum WHO is it for and WHAT do we expect from our education system and for young Australian citizens? The purpose or goal of the Curriculum and Education Curriculum must be of direct relevance to the childs social, cultural, environmental and economic context and to his or her present and future needs and take full account of the childs evolving capacities; teaching methods should be tailored to the different needs of different children (UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, General Comment 1 as cited in Sullivan Keeney, 2008, p.38). In order to understand the goal or purpose of education, we must understand who we are directing our learning to. Acknowledging the diversity of learners will assist in identifying the scope and range of the content to be covered by the curriculum. Brady and Kennedy (2010, p.38) state Teachers must examine the curriculum carefully to ensure it does not exclude the diverse experiences that students bring with them to the classroom. More positively, the curriculum should highlight those experiences and make them the basis for discovery and learning. The K-12 National Curriculum is directed towards students developing their knowledge and understanding of the major disciplines Mathematics, English, Science and History to enable students to further their knowledge and specialise in fields through further tertiary education. Further to this, the curriculum provides the foundation that allows young Australian citizens to deal confidently with issues that arise and enables them to make informed decisions regarding social and personal matters. (EQUITY) ACARA is responsible for the development of the Australian curriculum from Kindergarten to Year 12. ACARAs work with the Australian curriculum is directed by the 2008 Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians. This declaration commits to supporting learners with quality education and providing them with the skills necessary for future endeavours (ACARA, 2009a). The Australian curriculum will outline the scope and sequence of key learning areas, in other words WHAT and WHEN it is to be taught at schools, although teachers will ultimately make the decision on HOW to organise, structure and deliver this information to benefit each and every students learning experience (ACARA, 2009b). The educational goals for young Australian citizens focus on creating successful learners such as developing their capacity to be creative, resourceful and motivated individuals, to be able to think, obtain and evaluate evidence, work independently and in teams, be able to communicat e ideas, utilise current technology and be able to make informed decisions and gain the necessary skills regarding their learning and employment directions. These goals also aim to create confident individuals by providing the tools that promote a sense of self-awareness to be able to manage all facets of their wellbeing, develop values such as honesty, empathy and respect for themselves and others, form personal, social and professional relationships and have the confidence to pursue further education and training. In addition, becoming active and informed citizens is addressed through the cross-curriculum dimensions, which aim to instil an understanding and appreciation for Australias indigenous history and diverse culture and sustaining and improving our natural and social surroundings (ACARA, 2009b). So far we have discussed what the curriculum is and how it can be defined, the major influences on the curriculums development, namely the stakeholders and the purpose or goals of the curriculum and education. Before we discuss the structure and development of the curriculum, it is important to be aware of where and how the curriculum originated and why the curriculum is structured the way it is. Structure and Development of the Curriculum The structure of the curriculum and how it is developed caters for the wide range of stakeholders involved while endeavouring to achieve the best learning outcomes for Australian students. The core-curriculum was developed through the Curriculum Development Centre (CDC) by the former Director, Malcolm Skilbeck in 1980. The 24-page document attempted to reconceptualise the existing school subjects within a social-reconstructionist framework (Marsh, 2010, p.11). Even though parts of the core-curriculum were adopted in NSW, WA and NT, the development did not continue due to a lack of funding for the CDC. As the decades passed, many attempts at developing a national curriculum failed to make it successfully through its journey, finally in 2008, under the Rudd Government, a National Curriculum Board (NCB) was created to develop a National Curriculum for students Kindergarten to Year 12, consisting of four Key Learning Areas (KLAs) Mathematics, English, History and Science, with additiona l components of general capabilities and cross-curriculum dimensions working alongside these KLAs (Marsh, 2010). ACARA (2009c) was created to oversee the successful development of the Kindergarten to Year 12 Curriculum, plus the Senior Secondary Curriculum and the Early Years Curriculum Framework. Below outlines the four stages involved in the development of the Australian Curriculum Kindergarten to Year 12. Curriculum shaping stage- This involves the development of the draft shape paper, where expert advice is requested and endorsed by ACARAs board for public feedback. This creates the final shape paper, consisting of an outline of the Australian curriculum including design advice for learning areas. Curriculum writing stage A team consisting of writers, curriculum experts, and ACARA curriculum staff developing the Australian curriculum. The information includes content description and achievement standards; to achieve this, the team refers to national and international research on curriculum, while also referring to current state and territory curriculums. After public feedback and necessary modifications, the Australian curriculum for the particular learning area is ready for publication. Implementation stage Implementation plans are developed by ACARA and state/territory curriculum and school authorities (ACARA, 2010b) Evaluation and review stage Implementation feedback is reviewed carefully via processes that monitor this information. Below is a visual snapshot of the components included in the National Curriculum to be implemented in the year 2011. Australian curriculum graph.png Source: (ACARA, 2009a) Each KLA contains a statement of rationale, aims, content structure and descriptions, and achievement standards. Statement of rationale Overview of the particular subject Aims What students will achieve from this subject Content structure/organisation How the subject is arranged/designed and the information involved Content description specifies what teachers are expected to teach for each learning area at each year level, also provides the scope and sequence of teaching Achievement standards describes the quality of learning e.g. the understanding, knowledge and skill students are required to achieve at each year level. While the National curriculum will keep the original structure of scope and sequence for the KLAs, it is evident the new curriculum has become more detailed and involved, by introducing general capabilities and cross-curriculum dimensions in addition to the KLAs, teachers may find it difficult to be able to get through all the required content in the time allocated, while some may require further intensive training to increase their knowledge in certain areas such as History. Few primary teachers have a sufficient background in History and that they will require concentrated training to develop academic and pedagogical knowledge in History (Harris-Hart, 2009 as cited in Marsh, 2010, p.26), although ACARA (2010c) states the key focus during curriculum development is on depth of learning and not breadth of learning, so as not to overcrowd the curriculum. Since the Australian Curriculum has been collated from different components of the eight state/territory curriculums currently in ope ration, they have maintained the KLAs, added general capabilities and cross-curriculum dimensions while keeping the existing structure for sequencing within the learning areas. (REFERENCE) For example, the NSW curriculum comprises of six KLAs for primary school and eight KLAs for secondary school. Below is a visual snapshot of the NSW Primary syllabus. http://k6.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/images/time_on_each_subject.jpg Source: (NSW-BOS, 2008) Schools in New South Wales use the Kindergarten to Year 10 Curriculum Framework as the foundation of what, how and when the content is to be taught, although the NSW Board of Studies acknowledges that schools and teachers take responsibility for the way in which the content is organised and delivered (NSW-BOS, 2002a). NSW primary teachers use the NSW Primary Curriculum Foundation Statements to find out what needs to be taught in each subject. The six subjects within the NSW curriculum are English, Mathematics, Science and Technology, Personal Development, Health and Physical Education (PDHPE), Human Society and Its Environment (HSIE) and Creative arts (NSW-BOS, 2002b), while the Australian Curriculum takes into consideration two new components that will enhance the learning process by working alongside the four KLAs, these components are ten (10) general capabilities and three (3) cross-curriculum dimensions. The ten (10) general capabilities are: literacy, numeracy, information and communication technology, thinking skills, ethical behaviour, creativity, self-management, teamwork, intercultural understanding and social competence. The three (3) cross-curriculum dimensions are: Indigenous history and culture, Asia and Australias engagement with Asia and Sustainability (ACARA, 2010a). Conclusion The Curriculum is a planned description of the what, how and when of teaching, learning and assessment, it is the foundation for learners, students and teachers while being influenced by the many stakeholders that want a share/input in the direction of the Curriculum. The structure and development of the Australian Curriculum includes many components such as teaching, learning and assessment which have focused on the depth of learning not the breadth. Throughout this paper it is also evident that the Australian Curriculum has been influenced by the theories of teaching and learning from several theorists such as Piaget, Bloom, Krathwohl, Vygotsky, Bruner and Maslows taxonomy. In addition, we must keep in mind that by understanding our students changing nature and their diversities, the Australian Curriculum has the opportunity to be in the forefront of teaching and learning in the 21st Century.