Changes in Learning and Motivation with the Advent of Online Learning

Introduction In the past two decades, learning has evolved tremendously due to the introduction of new technologies that have made education more accessible. In olden days, students relied only on courses offered in colleges, universities, and other institutions of learning in order to obtain their education. However, the situation has changed. Students can now obtain their degrees through online learning.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Changes in Learning and Motivation with the Advent of Online Learning specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Universities and colleges have been forced to change their learning modes in order to accommodate students who prefer online learning (Ward, 2012). This mode of learning has attracted many people because it is affordable and convenient. Institutions of learning have introduced online learning through improvement of infrastructure, incorporation of new technologies in learni ng, recruitment of professionals who are conversant with new technologies, and revision of curriculums in order to accommodate new models of learning. Online learning caters for students who cannot enroll for traditional learning due to busy schedules and lack of financing. E- Learning has changed education tremendously and increased students’ motivation with regard to earning degrees and pursuing careers. Changes in learning With the advent of online learning, learning activities and discussions took a new form. Unlike in traditional learning, online learning does not involve face-to-face interactions between instructors and students. Students develop schedules based on their availability to attend classes (Ward, 2012). On the other hand, learners have freedom to work through course material only when they are available. Online learning gives students an opportunity to learn at their own pace thus ensuring that they grasp the content fully (Siemens, 2013). In addition, stude nts do not sit for long hours listening to lectures. E-learning requires high levels of discipline and responsibility on the part of the student because instructors are not present to give directions. Without discipline, many students waste their time and end up performing poorly in examinations. There are no face-to-face discussions, students decide when to attend classes, absence from class is not punished, and exchange of ideas and opinions is encouraged (Ward, 2012). Online learning eliminated the need to commute to school every day to attend classes (Michels, 2013). Students go online and take classes at any time and from any part of the world. Focus shifted from discussions and teamwork to individual study (Siemens, 2013).Advertising Looking for assessment on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More However, students can opt to join online group discussions that enable them to share information and knowledge with other students. Online discussion forums are not very common because many students prefer to be autonomous (Michels, 2013). Elimination of face-to-face interactions between students and instructors changed how learning is conducted. However, focus is mainly on interactive lessons, discussion boards, games, and chats (Siemens, 2013). These platforms offer students an opportunity to interact with instructors. Students ask questions, get clarification on unclear matters, and submit their homework. Education materials are provided in different forms that include videos, audio files, e-mails, word documents, and PDF documents. Students with families and jobs, and people who did not complete their education opt for online education. In the United States, some states have developed programs that enable students to complete their degrees through online learning. States like Oregon and Wisconsin have programs that allow students to turn their job skills into college credits and thus reduce the nu mber of units required to attain their degrees (Michels, 2013). In addition, the programs also enable students to complete their degrees by offering free online courses and examinations from certified colleges. The internet has many distractions that affect the learning experiences and outcomes of students (Michels, 2013). Therefore, students need to be highly disciplined and focused in order to benefit fully from online learning. Changes in motivation Factors that motivate students to register for online learning include busy schedules, family responsibilities, unavailability of resources, and convenience (Cull, 2010). People who wish to advance their careers while working usually enroll for online learning because they attend classes when they are free. In today’s world, more job opportunities are available to people who have pursued higher education such as master’s and postgraduate degrees (Cull, 2010). The cost of higher learning has nearly doubled in the past two decades. High cost of education has played a grandiose role in denying many students an opportunity to get their education (Cull, 2010). Competing for job opportunities then becomes difficult because many employers prefer applicants who have pursued higher education. Education is one of the most important factors that facilitate the shift to middle class. Therefore, online learning helps students who cannot afford higher education to pursue their careers cheaply. Many universities and colleges have been criticized for increasing the cost of education, offering low quality education, and being unwilling to embrace technology in order to offer opportunities to more students (Koller, 2012).Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Changes in Learning and Motivation with the Advent of Online Learning specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The declining quality of education has emanated from unavailability of sufficient instr uctors to handle the high number of students (Cull, 2010). The introduction of online learning enabled colleges to manage the sizes of their classes because many students opted for the new system. Traditional learning is very expensive compared to online learning. Differences in cost emanate from the need to pay tuition fees, purchase learning materials, and remunerate instructors (Koller, 2012). However, costs such as purchase of online materials and tuition fees are non-existent in online learning. Students only pay registration fees, examination fees, and a small amount of money to cater for learning materials and the remuneration of instructors. Another factor that motivates students to study online is the availability of information and the broad reach of online learning (McKnight, 2011). Universities and colleges are able to offer their services to people who are unable to attend classes at campuses. This has led to the elimination of boundaries for recruitment because the qua lity of education offered is of high quality. The internet is awash with information that can be used by students for learning purposes (Koller, 2012). The ease of retrieving information and the diversity of learning materials render online education beneficial and convenient. Students do not have to spend money buying books or printing learning material. In addition, there are different types of teaching aids such as videos and audio files that make learning more enjoyable. Students have different learning capabilities that are sufficiently addressed and accommodated in online learning (McKnight, 2011). Students create their own learning schedules and explore methods that ensure proper comprehension of learning material (Koller, 2012). In traditional learning, instructors do not tailor their teaching methods to accommodate the different learning needs of students. They use methods that they deem appropriate for all students. This results in poor performance and low quality degrees. For example, some students understand better using visual aids (McKnight, 2011). The availability of different learning methods has made online learning very popular. Students are motivated to pursue their education because they decide how, where, and what they learn (Koller, 2012). The independence created by online learning is a great motivating factor. Finally, e-learning facilitates sharing of knowledge and information by students around the world. Students can share learning materials such as videos, electronic books, journals, and PDF documents for learning purposes (McKnight, 2011).Advertising Looking for assessment on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More On the other hand, they can use discussion boards and chats to discuss pertinent issues with professionals from different parts of the world. The internet contains many platforms that students can use to retrieve information. For example, Khan Academy is a platform that is used by students to obtain information on different topics that include history, mathematics, physics, and chemistry (Koller, 2012). Conclusion New technologies have contributed largely to changes in ways through which different people get their degrees from institutions of learning. Many students have access to education because technology facilitates learning in many ways. Online learning has changed how people obtain degrees in many ways. It has motivated more people to pursue education by increasing independence, autonomy, and improving decision making. In addition, it has offered an opportunity to people who have families and jobs to pursue higher education. Many people prefer online education to traditional education because t is more convenient and cheaper. There are innumerable online sources of information that students can access freely. For example, search engines like Google and Yahoo provide a platform that students can use to retrieve information from the internet. The availability of visual aids such as videos, graphs, and pictures make the learning experience enjoyable. References Cull, S. (2010). Student Motivation and Engagement in Online Courses. Web. Koller, D. (Executive Producer). (2012). What we are Learning from Online Education  (Video File). Web. McKnight, K. (2011). Top 12 Ways Technology Changed Learning. Web. Michels, S. (Executive Producer). (2013). How Free Online Courses are Changing  Traditional Education (Video File). Web. Siemens, G. (Executive Producer). (2013). Connecting Learners: Technology, Change  and Higher Education (video file). Web. Ward, D. (2012). Why Online Education has Gained Revolutionary Momentum. Web. This assessment on Changes in Learning and Motivation with the Advent of Online Learning was written and submitted by user Ryann J. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Should Religion Be Given more influence in the Education Sys essays

Should Religion Be Given more influence in the Education Sys essays The Constitution was written in 1787 by the founding fathers of the United States. The Bill of Rights is the first ten amendments of the Constitution. The very first amendment protects the rights of citizens to worship as they please and the right not to be forced to support someone else's religion (Encarta 1999). They establish basic American civil liberties that the government cannot violate. The reason there should be a separation of church and State is because of the multiple number of religions in America. There are even some who do not even have a religion. If there were more influence of religion in the education systems of America then some children whose parents do not want them to be a certain religion may become confused at what religion to follow. In the case Newdow v. U.S. Congress (2002) the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals rules that the addition of the words "under God" to the Pledge of Allegiance back in 1954 was unconstitutional because it violates the separation of church and state (http://atheism.about.com/library/FAQs/blfaq_cs_index.htm.). The debate about the Ten Commandments is very important. Some think that the Ten Commandments should be displayed in public schools. Contrary to what some believe there is not a "standard version" of the Ten Commandments. Catholics, Protestants and Jews all have different versions - different wordings, different numberings and different emphases. How can any one be picked without implicitly denying the validity of the others? Religion should not be given more influence in America's education system because of the beliefs of different people throughout the country. Since there are so many religions in the United States no one would know exactly what religion to influence the children in the schools. Some think that if you incorporate religion into the education of children that they will receive a better education. This is not true. As a young child I was enroll ...

Reading Response Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 29

Reading Response - Essay Example The documentary shows how movements are using women’s sexuality to advocate for women rights. The documentary relates with other texts, articles and movies that advocate for women rights using women’s sexuality. Arielle Loren article authored in 2011 and titled "is Beyonce the Face of Contemporary Feminism" is a compelling text that raises the urge of the reader to know more about feminism. Loren asserts that, young women, especially those in 20s showcase their different aspects of their womanhood , for example, being sexy without having an identity crisis. From this article, it becomes evident that powerful women could create movements that advocates for gender roles and end of discrimination. I realized that women could use their womanhood to achieve anything in the world. The author means the men would be powerless if the women withdraw certain advantages. One question raised is â€Å"What is the importance of woman’s sexuality in advocating for equal gender rights?† The other question is "When will women start embracing their womanhood and use it to their

Threats Facing Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Assignment

Threats Facing Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) - Assignment Example The unified economic agreement between the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council was signed on November 11, 1981 in Abu Dhabi. These countries are often referred to as The GCC States. This area has some of the fastest growing economies in the world, mostly due to a boom in oil and natural gas revenues coupled with a building and investment boom backed by decades of saved petroleum revenues. In an effort to build a tax base and economic foundation before the reserves run out, the UAE's investment arms, including Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, retain over $900 billion in assets. Other regional funds also have several hundred billion dollars. The region is also an emerging hotspot for events, including the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, Qatar. Doha also submitted an unsuccessful application for the 2016 Summer Olympic Games. However, Qatar was later chosen to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup. In 2006, its GDP (nominal) was $717.8 billion (IMF April 2007), led by spectacular growth in United Arab Emirates and Qatar. In 2007, its GDP (nominal) was $1,022.62 billion (IMF April 2008). IMF predicts its GDP to reach $1,112.076 billion at end of 2008 and $1,210.112 billion at end of 2009. ... Recovery plans have been criticized for crowding out the private sector, failing to set clear priorities for growth, failing to restore weak consumer and investor confidence, and undermining long-term stability. Threats being faced by GCC countries are numerous. These threats are both internal and external. Given the vast possession of natural resources like Oil and Gas, many internal and external forces are at work against these countries. Monarchs rule all the GCC countries, although all of them have provided more or less high degree of social welfare in their states there is a growing demand by public for democracy and basic human rights first being freedom of speech. (Web- The GCC in a turbulent world ) GCC states are facing several domestic challenges headed by demographic issues, which are to blame for political and economic problems as well as others associated with security and linked to the presence of a large proportion of foreign workers on GCC soil. The issues include agg ravation of the â€Å"growing fundamentalist Threat, effects of instability in Iraq, fallout of Iranian nuclear issue, over all security of Gulf, US and EU interests in the GCC area, presence of foreign troops in the area, US strategy in the area to â€Å"prevent any force from imposing its hegemony on the GCC area†, security of oil shipments, presence of US forces in consolidating the GCC regimes, Iranian role to undermining Iraq’s stability and Iranian nuclear issue presenting a serious challenge to the stability of the area. GCC countries remain unstable due to impact of host of issues on the region directly. Major challenges being security, economy and demography. These countries face internal conflicts with each other like GCC versus Iran and Iraq.

Analyse article Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Analyse article - Essay Example Evidently, the nutrient cycles have been changed, the biomass has reduced considerably and a lot of carbon dioxide is being emitted (Passary 1). In the coming years, Passary writes that the impacts on the environment are expected to worsen, especially if nothing is done to reverse these statistics (1). The plant and animal species have greatly reduced (Passary 1). In line with this thought, it is only fair that humans put much efforts towards reclaiming the lost lives and even the habitats that would have otherwise been home to animals and humans. Among the major improvements that humans can adopt is to adopt safer forms of agricultural practices. It is also recommended that the urban designers adopt a more efficient approaches such as using the landscape corridors (Passary 1). These approaches will help improve and sustain the existing ecosystems. These approaches will also lead to higher biodiversity. Passary, Anu. Dwindling Forest Habitats Threatening Worlds Ecosystems Says Study. Tech Times, 23 Mar. 2014. Web. 24 Mar. 2015.

Weber A The Protestant Ethic Sociology Essay

Weber A The Protestant Ethic Sociology Essay Marx Weber in his writing entitled The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism, has had an enduring impact on the field of economic history. Weber presents the argument that religion in certain forms and ways had a critical influence modern capitalist economy and society. He believes that Puritan ethics and ideas influenced the development of capitalism. He supports his argument by examining the relationship between the ethnics of ascetic Protestantism and the beginnings of modern capitalism. Weber presents the problem of linking religion to the spirit of capitalism. He explains different religions and how they play into his study. Weber begins by comparing the differences between Catholics and Protestants. Although Weber admits that through history some of the richer areas tended to covert to Protestantism and that Protestants generally had a greater inherited wealth, this does not entirely explain the greater participation in capitalism shown by the Protestants. He believes that environment has a great effect on determining choice of occupation, but that Protestants have also shown a strong tendency to develop economic rationalism more so than Catholics. One explanation Weber provides for this is that Catholics tend to be more otherworldly than Protestants and therefore do not put as much importance on material gains. Weber mention s Catholics show a stronger propensity to remain in their crafts that is they more often become master craftsmen, whereas the Protestants are attracted to a larger extent into the factories in order to fill the upper ranks of skilled labour and administrative position (Weber, 3).Catholics answer with the accusation that materialism results from the secularization of all ideals through Protestantism (Weber, 4). Even though Catholic gets involved in economic activities, Protestants have stronger tendency to develop economic rationalism and Catholic criticizes Protestants materialism. He bases his argument on his observations in Germany and elsewhere, and this is why he focuses his argument on the Protestants. Weber also explains about the spirit of capitalism. There are conceptualizing the spirit of capitalism. Weber presents excerpt from the wirings of Benjamin Franklin. Franklin writes that time is money, credit is money, and the good paymaster is lord of another mans purse. Frankli ns moral beliefs are useful to promote profit for individuals. Weber mentions It is, namely, by no means exceptional, but rather the rule, for him to have a sort of modesty which is essentially more honest than the reserve which Franklin so shrewdly recommends (Weber, 19). In addition, Weber mentions about the importance of accepting capitalistic system to make money. He says the capitalistic system so needs this devotion to the calling of making money it is an attitude toward material goods which is so well sited to that system, so intimately bound up with the conditions of survival in the economic struggle for existence( Weber, 19).Weber also makes a point about calling and reformation. Weber does not think that calling explain the spirit of capitalism. Weber mentions that Luther developed the conception and activity as a reformer. However, Weber says that Martin Luther was a traditionalist and so believed in obedience to Gods will and acceptances of the way things are, that Luth eranism did not have great significance in the development of the capitalistic spirit. Weber argues that there is no relationship between the spirit of capitalism and reformation and tries to see how religion has impact on material cultures development. Weber says we have no intention whatever of maintain such a foolish and doctrinaire thesis, as that the spirit of capitalism could only have arisen as the result of certain effects of the Reformation, or even that capitalism as an economic system is creation of the Reformation (Weber, 28). Weber also mentions four principal forms of ascetic Protestantism which are Calvinism, Pietism, Methodism, and Baptist movement. He continues by explaining some of the values involved with these other sects although its clear that Calvinism will be the most important to his argument. Weber assumes that Calvinism influences in Western Europe in the seventeenth century. He notices that western Europe had followed Calvinist Protestantism. Calvinists saw their work as a calling from God and it was a moral duty. God does not exist for men, but men for the sake of God. All creation, including of course the fact, as it undoubtedly was for Calvin, that only a small proportion of men are chose for eternal grace, can have any meaning only as means to the glory and majesty of God( Weber, 33). They believed in the elect. They are chosen and predestined by God. However, Lutheran Protestantism was different. It believed that people could earn a place in Heaven through good works on earth.It seems capitalist ideology, but Lutheran Protestantism encouraged people to earn no more than they needed to survive. The problem with Calvinist Protestantism was that they did not know they would go to hell or heaven. Weber mentions on the one hand it is held to be an absolute duty to consider oneself chosen, and to combat all doubts are temptations of the devil(Weber, 37). Their uncertainty led them to work hard and that was for Gods favor. So their hard work led to the development of capitalism. They denied comfort and pleasure to themselves and despised laziness and hedonism. They made money for its own sake. Weber emphasizes that the spirit of capitalism is the values and attitude behind making money. Weber concludes that religion could cause economic change. Pietism is closely connected with Calvinism and gets influences by Lutheran Protestantism. However according to Weber it has an uncertain basis for asceticism and is therefore less consistent than Calvinism. Methodism has a simi lar uncertain foundation similar to Pietism and is also has some key differences from Calvinisms doctrinal basis. And finally the Baptist sects had quite a different foundation than Calvinism. Finally, Weber wants to figure out the relationships between ascetic Protestantism and the spirit of capitalism. Overall, Webers intent was to prove the positive correlation between capitalist spirit and Protestant religion. B. Choose one article from the list at the end of this exam In the article, Ethnic Differences in Endorsement of the Protestant Work Ethic: The Role of Ethnic Identity and Perceptions of Social Class by Kevin Cokley, Komarraju, Pickett, Shen, Patel, Belur, and Rosales, examined ethnic differences in endorsement of the Protestant work ethic (PWE) among Black and White college students and differences in ethnic identity and perceptions of social class mediated the relationship between ethnicity and the endorsement of PWE values. The Protestant Work Ethic (PWE) is an important aspect of U.S and authors mentions the traditional American values which have been associated with White culture, includes individualism, competition, orientation, and the PWE. Authors mention the PWE is a value system that stresses the moral value of work, self-discipline, and individual responsibility in forming a way to improve ones economic well-being (Cokley et al 2007: 76). They found that the PWE is related to attributions of greater personal obligation. However, Niles stated that there seems to be a stronger commitment to a Protestant work ethic among non-Protestant cultures. They found that the PWE is now more a reflection of culture than of religious values or nationality. Authors examined multi cultural differences in the PWE within the United States and their goal was to find which ethnicity might affect endorsement of the PWE. According to Cokley et al, differences in the importance of ethnic identity arise among ethnic minorities and Whites and ethnic identity caries in importance and strength among ethnic group members. They say we believed that cultural values like the PWE that promote individual responsibility while minimizing the impact of societal oppression on ethnic minorities such as Blacks would be negatively related to ethnic identity they also found that well- educated individuals are less likely to endorse PWE values due to the fact that well- educated individuals are more likely to be aware of systems of oppression, such as racism, sexism, homophobia. In addition, the PWE is also related to social class. They figure out Blacks face more negative perceptions about their work ethic from employers than do Whites and that employer see inner-city poor Blacks as especially problematic (Cokley et al 2007:79). Authors used three measures which are Protestant Ethic Scale (PES), Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure (NEIM), and Demographic sheet. After they examined, they found that Black students the PWE was not significantly correlated with ethnic identity. Blacks were higher in ethnic identity than were Whites, but the relationship between ethnic identity and PWE was not significant. However, they found that ethnic identity and perceptions of social class can count for ethnic differences in endorsement of the PWE. Black students had a significantly lower PWE compared with White students. This indicates that they were less likely to believe that works hard will succeed. They mention the Black students or their close friends and family members may have had experiences that led them to believe that an individuals life outcomes are influences by much more than simply hard work because there ae other external, uncontrollable social forces( racism, sexism, discrimination) that can influence outcomes more than does ones own individual effort. On the other hand, whites are opposite. They tend to believe a strong positive relationship between working hard and achieving success. It indicates that White students were more likely to endorse PWE beliefs than were Black students. They mention the most significant result of this study was the emergence of perceptions of social class as the only significant mediator (Cokley et al 2007: 85). It shows that upper middle class and upper class had a significantly stronger PWE than working class or middle class among Whites, but not Blacks. They argue that social class in an important because they believe that social class might influence the cultural psychology of different ethnic groups. They mention the Blacks in the present study, regardless of perceived social class, were less likely to endorse the PWE, perhaps because they may have experienced first hand that the application of the PWE does not always result in meritocratic economic outcomes (Cokley et al 2007: 87). 2. A. Basic elements of bureaucracy that Weber describes. In the article, Bureaucracy, Weber believes that bureaucracy is a particular type of administrative structure developed through authority. Weber attributes the development of bureaucracy to the increase in rationalization in modern societies. Weber says Bureaucracy, thus understood, is fully developed in political and ecclesiastical communities only in the modern state, and, in the private economy, only in the most advanced institutions of capitalism (Weber 1946:196). Weber argues that bureaucracies have existed in places such as Egypt, the Roman Catholic Church, and China. Weber mentions a certain measure of a developed money economy is the normal precondition for the unchanged and continued existence, if not for the establishment, of pure bureaucratic administrations (Weber 1946:205). Bureaucracy is organized as a hierarchical system of offices that are governed by rules. For Weber the term bureaucracy are inseparable from the term rationality. According to Weber, there are ways of developing bureaucracies rational which are functional specialization, clear lines of hierarchical authority, expert training of managers, and decision making based on rules. Weber argues that such specialization is essential to a rational bureaucracy. His idea of functional specialization applies to persons within an organization and to relations between larger units or divisions of the organization. For example, work was broken down into many special tasks and employees were assigned few such tasks. Divisions of large organizations require clear lines of authority organized in a hierarchy. And division of labour is more fundamental that the others because it initiates and orders other divisions of labour. In addition, hierarchical authority is required in bureaucracies so that highly trained experts can he properly used as managers. He argues that managers at all levels have to be trained for their specific jobs. He mentions the demand for administration by trained experts is considerable, and the party followings have to recognize an intellectually developed, educated, and freely moving public opinion, the use of unqualified officials falls back upon the party in power at the next election(Weber 1946:201). Development is greatly furthered by the social prestige of the educational certificates acquired through such specialized examinations. This is all the more the case at the educational patent is turned to economic advantage (Weber 1946:241). Weber mentions the importance of education which can develop economic. Lastly, Weber makes a point that rational bureaucracies must be managed in accordance with carefully developed rules and principles that can be learned and applied and that transactions and decisions must be recorded so that rules can be reviewed. He mentions the management of the office follows general rules, which are more or less stable, more or less exhaustive, and which can be learned (Weber, 1946:198). Weber sees bureaucracy as one of the most important causes of the development of capitalism specifically. B. The strengths and dangers of bureaucracy that Weber describes. According to Max Weber, that bureaucracy are the most efficient form of administration and inevitable in the modern society. Weber offers a positive of bureaucracy through his ideal description of the administrative system as a rational and efficient type of organization. Bureaucracy is an administrative structure through hierarchical relations and pre-established spheres of competence. the large corporation as a type of bureaucratic organization that rivaled the state bureaucracy in achieving rational efficiency and calculated results (Rubenstein 1978:55). One of the strengths of bureaucracy is conduct of official business in strict accordance with the duty of every member, chosen through impersonal criteria to perform designated tasks subject to strict rules of practice. He mentions Precision, speed, unambiguity, knowledge of the files, continuity, discretion, unity, strict, subordination, reduction of friction and of material and personal costs, these are raised to the optimum points in the strictly bureaucratic administration. (Weber1946: 214). Also, Weber says that the organizations structuring into a vertical hierarchy to be governed by the rights to supervision and appeal. The military is an example of bureaucratic organization. Weber says Specifically, military discipline and technical training can be normally and fully developed, at least to its modern high level, only in the bureaucratic army (Weber 1946:222). Its specific nature, which is welcomed by capitalism, develops the more perfectly the more the bureaucracy is dehumani zed, the more completely it succeeded, in eliminating form official business love, hatred, and all purely personal, irrational, and emotional elements which escape calculation( Weber 1946:216). However, Weber also fears that people would become too controlled by people who are superior and too much rules and regulations deprive of peoples freedom. Weber argues about the consequences of bureaucracies in modern societies. He feels they represented a grave threat to individual liberty. Also, bureaucracy provides structure of domination. Governance in a class-based society resulted to abuse of power of the tope leadership resulting to corruption, and political infighting. A bureaucracy is organized as a hierarchical system of offices that are governed by rules. Each office has a sphere of tasks, and the offices operate and interact according to an explicit se of procedures. Power resides in offices. Office holders merely act out the responsibilities of their offices. furthermore, He notes No machinery in the world functions so precisely as this apparatus of men and, moreover, so cheaplyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦rational calculation, reduces every worker to a cog in this bureaucratic mach ine and, seeing himself in this light, he will merely ask how to transform himself into a somewhat bigger cog..The passion for bureaucratization drives us to despair (Weber). Power is exercise by bureaucrats whose interest is in regulation rather than principles. Individual are lost in the vast machinery of the bureaucratic organization. These bureaucracies become structures of domination. They govern social action on a regular basis, and they establish and sustain patterns of inequality. Weber mentions the bureaucratic tendency has chiefly been influenced by needs arising from the creation of standing armies as determined by power politics and by the development of public finance connected with the military establishment (Weber 1946:212). Weber implies that the decisive reason for the advance of bureaucratic organization has always been its purely technical superiority over any other form of organization (Weber 1946:214). the fully developed bureaucratic mechanism he was aware of the fact that actual bureaucracies seldom achieve the level of efficiency of the ideal type he had constructed( Rubenstein 1978:23). Webers writings on bureaucracy are part of a larger attempt to understand the social and political structure and the values of modern Western civilization (Rubenstein 1978:27). 3. According to Marx, the class struggle under capitalism is between those who own the means of production, the ruling class or bourgeoisie and those who labor for a wage, the working class or proletariat. the history of all hitherto existing society is the history of call struggles( Marx, Engels 1848,3). The worker is as part of the machinery. a class of laborers, who live only so long as they find work, and who find work only so long as their labor increases capital( Marx, Engels 1848,8). Weber also describes that the ruling class makes the rules that structure society. Marx made a set of demands which are 10points programs. He believes that the implementation of those policies would lead to a classless and stateless society. A. The Cunning of History by Rubenstein mentions as uprooted men and women were forced to move from the countryside to the cities, they had little choice but to accept the subsistence wages offered to them in the mills and factories. The alternative was starvation. There was an abundant labor supply and its cost was kept at a minimum (Rubenstein 1978:55). Even though there are criticisms, bureaucracy remains an important administrative system. Weber recognizes the ideal benefits of bureaucracy. http://www.dailyfinance.com/article/gates-says-urgent-need-to-cut-defense/1052189/ http://www.paperarticles.com/2009/06/singapore-at-50-managing-change.html According to the newspaper, Singapore at 50: Managing change gives a good example of efficient bureaucracy which helps to increase economic. http://www.uow.edu.au/~bmartin/pubs/90uw/uw08.html it provides the possibility for government to function effectively and efficiently, leading the larger and larger societies, with increasingly complex and diverse ways of life for its citizens. Beyond government, numerous other social organizations, both in the public and private sectors have developed bureaucratic forms of leadership, which have succeeded in advancing the goals of their organizations. http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Bureaucracy( good thing, bad thing)

Addies Revenge Essay -- William Faulkner As I Lay Dying Essays

Addie's Revenge In William Faulkner's novel "As I lay Dying" the reader learns about each character through the eyes of that person so to speak. Most of the important characters minds are revealed through the unique personalities and idiosyncrasies of the Bundren family, and those they encountered. One of the characters is Addie Bundren, the matriarch of the clan, and the person who's death this story moves upon. Although Addie is dead for most of the book, Faulkner still shows Addie's feelings and attitude in a chapter in which she seemingly speaks from the dead. From this scene we learn about Addie's personality. As a whole Addie is a pessimistic and unfulfilled woman, who marries the ignorant Anse Bundren on a whim. Addie also admits for caring for only two of her children, the rest she labels "Anse's children", who are born out of an obligation. This obligation to Anse spawned from the fact that she had a son borne out of an affair with the priest Whitfield to bear her second child Jewel . As stated before Addie is a bitter woman and believes Anse is to blame for many of her shortcomings. These shortcomings started namely with her unwanted birth to her second child Darl. Because of Addie's bitter anger toward Anse, she curses Anse with her revenge, after death. Her revenge involved telling Anse to take her body back to her hometown of Jefferson, which is a very long trip to make with a rotting dead body. Addie realizes that this will be an undignified, dangerous, and tedious consuming trip. Since Addie will be dead and gone her instinctive safeguard in this plan is "her" son Jewel who she prophesied would save her from the "fire and the water" and make sure she got to Jefferson. With Addie's plan in motion and her safeguard in place, I believe Addie still could not punish the infantile but slick Anse Bundren despite Jewel's instinctive effort, because of Anse's hidden intelligence and improvisational skills. Anse Bundren seemingly the most country bumpkin you could ever meet has at least one thing going for him. That is that he innocently knows how to play with people's perceptions of him. When we see Anse for the first time it is explained to us that he does not work because he got sick once. This portrayal of Anse is of a sickly man who culls people's sympathy. In another varying instance, on his way to Jefferson, Anse portr... ... Once again everyone knows how old Anse is, how he can't sweat, and how he is therefore incapable of being heroic and possibly getting hurt. And the way I believe Anse got total victory over the late Mrs. Bundren is because he was able to stay safe because of his excuses, while the son's she loved in Jewel and Cash received the most pain in trying to uphold her plot. So even though Addie professes she doesn't care, I get the feeling that if she hadn't died before, the thought of her sons being injured and Anse escaping with new teeth, a new wife, and a new gramophone certainly would have killed her. In conclusion in spite of the fact that Anse is SLOW, LAZY, DISHONERABLE, HYPOCRITICAL and much more, he is not stupid, this is probably the common misconception. He is all of the above except stupid. Anse has proved that he is a bastard unto the world but not dumb. This is why I believe that Addie Bundren was not able to achieve her revenge against Anse despite Jewel's best efforts. Because of Anse's ability to manipulate people into believing he was something he was not, he was able to not only avoid Addie's revenge but was also able to accomplish his goals in the process.

English Doc

Heda Margolius Kovaly who wrote â€Å"Under a Cruel Star† writes about her horrible, suffering and tragedy life she endured first in the Nazi communist rule in her citizen Czechoslovakia. She was born in Prague to a Jewish family. She was young at the time when the Germany attacked Czechoslovakia during the World War II. Heda was in concentration camps during the World War II she escaped from the Nazi, she hardly survived, but her family died. At the end of the war; she returned to Prague and took part in uprising against the Germany in May 1945, she got married to an old friend, named Rudolf Margolius who is Jewish too.I will be writing about how Heda Kovaly suffered under the Nazism and had high hope for communism, how she view freedom and how it changed after her life changed too. Moreover, how Rudolf trial changed her life. Heda suffered a lot to escape from the camps, but her insists and demand to be free were more powerful than her fear of dead. â€Å"People often ask m e: How did you manage? To survive the camps! To escape! Everyone assumes it is easy to die but that the struggle to live requires a superhuman effort. Mostly it is the other way around. There is, perhaps, nothing harder than waiting passively for death.Staying alive is simple and natural and does not require any particular resolve. †(16). Towards the end of the war, Heda managed to escape from a death march to Bergen-Belsen and get to Prague. She fought for her personal freedom, but freedom perspective changed when she escaped from Nazi concentration then by joining the communist party thinking Friends were too scared of the punishments they would face if they helped her and she was wandered around the city for days trying to avoid arrest. After the end of World War II was ended the soviets had taken over Czechoslovakia Kovaly meaning of freedom change as her life changes.She united with her beloved Rudolph who got married and had son. They were struggling to find a house afte r they were sent to camps. At the end they were given a small apartment. Kovaly explains â€Å"although we continually hoped for freedom, our concept of freedom changed. † (60). Her concept of freedom before imprisonment was that it was â€Å"natural and self – evident. â€Å"By the end of their time in the camps, many prisoners came to accept the view that freedom is something that has to be earned and fought for, a privilege that is awarded, like a medal. (60-61). She clarified how it was impossible for the Czech people not to become â€Å"somewhat twisted†. Kovaly had fought for her personal freedom when she had escaped. From her experience and the problems she faced while she was escaping the camp, made her well aware of the politics around her. She was very intelligent and had her own opinion and she acknowledged the fact that â€Å"Our democracy had allowed the growth of the fascist and Nazi parties which in the end destroyed it† (57).She clarifie d that people were willing to work extremely hard to achieve their goal, that they want to rebuild the world. She always mentions how hard her husband worked to the party and many innocent people were thrown in jail. Heda’s life was different from all the other people in Czechoslovakia, because she was married to a man who was enrolled in the government administration. She had a unique point of view into the communist working government because her husband was a deputy minister in Czechoslovakian government. That helped Heda a lot to see the hypocrisies

The Challenges African States Faced at Independence

The Challenges African States Faced at Independence One of the most pressing challenges African states faced at Independence was their lack of infrastructure. European imperialists prided themselves on bringing civilization and developing Africa, but they left their former colonies with little in the way of infrastructure. The empires had built roads and railroads - or rather, they had forced their colonial subjects to build them - but these were not intended to build national infrastructures. Imperial roads and railways were almost always intended to facilitate the export of raw materials. Many, like the Ugandan Railroad, ran straight to the coastline. These new countries also lacked the manufacturing infrastructure to add value to their raw materials. Rich as many African countries were in cash crops and minerals, they could not process these goods themselves. Their economies were dependent on trade, and this made them vulnerable. They were also locked into cycles of dependencies on their former European masters. They had gained political, not economic dependencies, and as Kwame Nkrumah - the first prime minister and president of Ghana - knew, political independence without economic independence was meaningless.   Energy Dependence The lack of infrastructure also meant that African countries were dependent on Western economies for much of their energy. Even oil-rich countries did not have the refineries needed to turn their crude oil into gasoline or heating oil. Some leaders, like Kwame Nkrumah, tried to rectify this by taking on massive building projects, like the Volta River hydroelectric dam project. The dam did provide much-needed electricity, but its construction put Ghana heavily into debt. The construction also required the relocation of tens of thousands of Ghanaians and contributed to Nkrumahs plummeting support in Ghana. In 1966, Nkrumah was overthrown.   Inexperienced Leadership At Independence, there were several presidents, like Jomo Kenyatta, had several decades of political experience, but others, like Tanzanias Julius Nyerere, had entered the political fray just years before independence. There was also a distinct lack of trained and experienced civil leadership. The lower echelons of the colonial government had long been staffed by African subjects, but the higher ranks had been reserved for white officials. The transition to national officers at independence meant there were individuals at all levels of the bureaucracy with little prior training.  In some cases, this led to innovation, but the many challenges that African states faced at independence were often compounded by the lack of experienced leadership. Lack of National Identity The borders Africas new countries were left with were the ones drawn in Europe during the Scramble for Africa with no regard to the ethnic or social landscape on the ground. The subjects of these colonies often had many identities that trumped their sense of being, for instance, Ghanaian or Congolese. Colonial policies that privileged one group over another or allocated land and political rights by tribe exacerbated these divisions. The most famous case of this was the Belgian policies that crystallized the divisions between Hutus and Tutsis in Rwanda that led to the tragic genocide in 1994. Immediately after decolonization, the new African states agreed to a policy of inviolable borders, meaning they would not try to redraw Africas political map as that would lead to chaos. The leaders of these countries were, thus, left with the challenge of trying to forge a sense of national identity at a time when those seeking a stake in the new country were often playing to individuals regional or ethnic loyalties.   Cold War Finally, decolonization coincided with the Cold War, which  presented another challenge for African states. The push and pull between the United States and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) made non-alignment a difficult, if not impossible, option, and those leaders who tried to carve third way generally found they had to take sides.   Cold War politics also presented an opportunity for factions that sought to challenge the new governments. In Angola, the international support that the government and rebel factions received in the Cold War led to a civil war that lasted nearly thirty years. These combined challenges made it difficult to establish strong economies or political stability in Africa and contributed to the upheaval that many (but not all!) states faced between the late 60s and late 90s.

George Bush Essays - Bush Family, United States, Livingston Family

George Bush Essays - Bush Family, United States, Livingston Family George Bush George Bush Forty-First President 1989-1993 George Bush brought to the White House a dedication to traditional American values and a determination to direct them toward making the United States a kinder and gentler nation. In his Inaugural Address he pledged in a moment rich with promise to use American strength as a force for good. Coming from a family with a tradition of public service, George Herbert Walker Bush felt the responsibility to make his contribution both in time of war and in peace. Born in Milton, Massachusetts, on June 12, 1924, he became a student leader at Phillips Academy in Andover. On his 18th birthday he enlisted in the armed forces. The youngest pilot in the Navy when he received his wings, he flew 58 combat missions during World War II. On one mission over the Pacific as a torpedo bomber pilot he was shot down by Japanese antiaircraft fire and was rescued from the water by a U. S. submarine. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for bravery in action. Bush next turned his energies toward completing his education and raising a family. In January 1945 he married Barbara Pierce. They had six childrenGeorge, Robin (who died as a child), John (known as Jeb), Neil, Marvin, and Dorothy. At Yale University he excelled both in sports and in his studies; he was captain of the baseball team and a member of Phi Beta Kappa. After graduation Bush embarked on a career in the oil industry of West Texas. Like his father, Prescott Bush, who was elected a Senator from Connecticut in 1952, George became interested in public service and politics. He served two terms as a Representative to Congress from Texas. Twice he ran unsuccessfully for the Senate. Then he was appointed to a series of high-level positions: Ambassador to the United Nations, Chairman of the Republican National Committee, Chief of the U. S. Liaison Office in the People's Republic of China, and Director of the Central Intelligence Agency. In 1980 Bush campaigned for the Republican nomination for President. He lost, but was chosen as a running mate by Ronald Reagan. As Vice President, Bush had responsibility in several domestic areas, including Federal deregulation and anti-drug programs, and visited scores of foreign countries. In 1988 Bush won the Republican nomination for President and, with Senator Dan Quayle of Indiana as his running mate, he defeated Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis in the general election. Bush faced a dramatically changing world, as the Cold War ended after 40 bitter years, the Communist empire broke up, and the Berlin Wall fell. The Soviet Union ceased to exist; and reformist President Mikhail Gor bachev, whom Bush had supported, resigned. While Bush hailed the march of democracy, he insisted on restraint in U. S. policy toward the group of new nations. In other areas of foreign policy, President Bush sent American troops into Panama to overthrow the corrupt regime of General Manuel Noriega, who was threatening the security of the canal and the Americans living there. Noriega was brought to the United States for trial as a drug trafficker. Bush's greatest test came when Iraqi President Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait, then threatened to move into Saudi Arabia. Vowing to free Kuwait, Bush rallied the United Nations, the U. S. people, and Congress and sent 425,000 American troops. They were joined by 118,000 troops from allied nations. After weeks of air and missile bombardment, the 100-hour land battle dubbed Desert Storm routed Iraq's million-man army. Despite unprecedented popularity from this military and diplomatic triumph, Bush was unable to withstand discontent at home from a faltering economy, rising violence in inner cities, and continued high deficit spending. In 1992 he lost his bid for reelection to Democrat William Clinton. Bibliography None available

The Cosby show Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The Cosby show - Essay Example The aspects that are portrayed in The Cosby Show are essential to the Black culture. This includes black universities, colleges, the Black art that was placed specifically on the Walls of the famous Huxatable house, artist of the jazz music are shown in every episode. These aspects are continuously acknowledged and portrayed blackness in such a way that it has not yet been seen by any other black viewers. The show reconfigured the industrialized and artistic spaces through which illustration and symbol of black on modern television are fabricated. Furthermore, it has been revealed that the show influenced and created huge impact on black consciousness and provided positive message about the experience of Black people. Bill Cosby and producers tried to downplay the issue of race in a brilliant way and expected that audiences are mature and sensible enough to look at the past problems that make every person different from

Project management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 17

Project management - Essay Example Mediation regarding theory development in project management is not a recent development; this essay has discussed the fit between several published theories regarding project management and individual practice as a result of my participation in the Being-Active project. There are several published theories about management, though this article has touch on a few that were relevant with the discourse. Actually, the discipline of project management is not the only discipline of knowledge that within its progression falls into this trap of reinforcing its theoretical base as one of the academic discipline. Theory can be described as a scientific principle facilitating prediction and avails explanation for a given phenomenon as contrary to the body of knowledge (Tauber, 2007). In respect to this, a theory as the way it has been defined in natural sciences entails empirical verifications founded on direct observations and personal experience as per laws or scientific typology that assists in organizing things, give an explanation for the past and predicting the future occurrences and help explain the factor behind the way things do happen. Most entrepreneurs are most likely to have employees with skills in project management. This may be so in that learning the skill of project management becomes more useful and important. Good project managers are come from experience or being train ed, and not by birth. (Blanco, 2011) In getting involved in ActiveBeing project 2014-15, there are several managerial theories that one may notice as to being in use. There are some critics who argue that there is no explicit theory of project management (nmbm). During the stay, there were a lot of activities which needed to be handled in order to achieve the goals at the end of it all. As new entrants into the field of management that is competitively hard to handle, it was advisable to