The Importance of Technology to 21st Century Learners Essay

Throughout history technology has been the driving force of change. From movable type, to television, to the Internet, technology has been embraced and incorporated into our daily lives. Within the constructs of civilized society, the vast rewards of technological innovations have far outweighed the negatives. The digital revolution has altered conceptions of time and distance. It has created a wealth of information that is available at the stroke of a key. Not since the invention of the printing press has the distribution and consumption of information been so democratized. The rapidly changing technological landscape has put students and teachers in the cross-hairs. Can students be positively impacted by this digital revolution?†¦show more content†¦Weaving technology into the curriculum and assessment is paramount to improving pedagogy. Students and teachers alike must be fluent in the language of modernity and wield the tools of the digital age with ease. The im portant issue for the evolution of school curriculum is not the availability and affordability of sophisticated computers and telecommunications, but the ways these devices enable powerful learning situations that aid students in extracting meaning out of complexity (Dede, 2000, p. 16). Importance of Technology Proficiency As an educator in the 21st Century, it is imperative to integrate technology into the curriculum for a variety of reasons. Students can gain from the use of technology and improve performance in the classroom. Students need to be exposed to and familiar with current technologies in order to compete in a world marketplace. Children today need a global awareness and new economic and civic literacies to work seamlessly with various technologies and integrate those in dynamic social environments(Lee Spires, 2008, p. 77). The world is dominated by technology in all forms and in order to be successful students must posses 21st Century skills (CEO Forum, 2001). Incorporation of Technology Leads to Student Gains Students of all levels and abilities, as well as teachers, benefit from technology in the classroom. Research has shown that whenShow MoreRelatedCritical Thinking And Problem Solving Skills1648 Words   |  7 Pagesevolution and role of technology. Learners within the 21st Century are experiencing an education where they are taught to collaboratively communicate and construct new understandings, while acquiring higher order thinking skills to apply beyond the classroom environment. This essay will examine pedagogies and theories regarding the impact upon the quality of education within the 21st Century through the use of digital technology. By exploring research based on the integration of technology in modern learningRead MoreTeaching A New Generation Of Students815 Words   |  4 Pagesworld economy. However, how much of our educational system has changed to meet the demands of the 21st century? Are we preparing students for their futures instead of relegating the bulk o f educational instruction to irrelevant methodologies? It is up to educators to forge new paths of instructional methods to best meet the needs of our 21st century learners. Why is there even a need for 21st century learning? Some educators would argue that the basic reading, writing, and math skills have beenRead MoreClassroom Is Not The Classroom Of Yesterday1050 Words   |  5 Pagesclassroom of yesterday. We are accountable so much more to the learning needs of our students. The use of technology in the classroom is changing the way in which we teach our students. We have a responsibility to prepare students for the demands of an ever-changing world, through facilitating learning in a technology rich environment, where students and teachers don’t just learn about technology, they use it to achieve powerful learning and teaching and improve student learning outcomes. The challengeRead MoreThe Importance Of Competencies For The 21st Century981 Words   |  4 Pages21st Century Skills The importance of competencies for the 21st century has led to fundamental questions about to what extent we provide the necessary knowledge base for children and youth to be competent in contemporary and future societies (Voogt et al., 2013). It is obvious that not only learners, but also teachers need to acquire 21st century competencies as well as become competent in supporting 21st century learning. Teachers need to be prepared for new pedagogical approaches that fit theRead MoreProfessional Development For Teachers With English Language Learners837 Words   |  4 Pagesdevelopment for teachers that promotes English language acquisition and literacy proficiency for English language learners is the cornerstone of literacy reform in the United States. In this assignment, I define teacher knowledge. I then identify three areas of professional development that, by increasing teacher knowledge, would translate to increased learning gains for English language learners. Teacher Knowledge Carlisle, Kelcey, Rowan, and Phelps (2011) distinguished between teacher academic knowledgeRead MoreLearning In The 21st Century Classroom1206 Words   |  5 Pageslearnings needed in the 21st Century classroom. Assignments touched base on differentiation, instructional design, assessments; Action research and technology enriched learning environments to name a few. The final course Capstone focused one redesigning previous lesson plans, projects to address the 21st Century skills and demonstrate the mastery of the learning outcomes. The program outcomes enhance the teaching and learning process while preparing educators to apply the 21st Century framework and aligningRead More21st Century Learning And Teaching902 Words   |  4 Pages21st century learning is a rapidly changing idea, both teachers and students are adapting and learning new ways to teach and learn respectively. A teacher’s pedagogy must evolve to incorporate new technology and new methods of teaching, puttin g focus on student centred learning and giving pupils the tools needed to create their own learning. Education must incorporate diversity to cope with the ever changing landscape of our society. Learners need to feel safe, secure and equal to each other andRead MoreThe Program For International Student Assessment1193 Words   |  5 Pagesgalvanized the nation into action to improve its science and technology education, President Obama recognized that our education system must be improved. In 1957 the Soviet Union became the first nation to launch the world’s first satellite into orbit. Prior to the launch of Sputnik, the United States was complacent in its â€Å"number one† mentality—the Sputnik launch shattered that we were lagging behind the USSR in science and technology. Fast forward to the current state of education in the UnitedRead MorePeer Review : Draft Of Literature1485 Words   |  6 PagesPeer Review: Draft of Literature Research shows that students are lacking critical writing skills that are fundamental for the 21st century. This may be due to technology, some may be due to the lack of laziness or both. This failure in learner’s writing is one of the main reasons for implementing the Common Core standards. It is obvious that student’s writing skills are important in this day and time. Standardized test scores provide much evidence that students do not have acceptable writingRead MoreTogether With The Media Coordinator, And The District’S792 Words   |  4 PagesTogether with the media coordinator, and the district’s instructional technology facilitators, we developed a survey for teachers and students to determine in-service needs. Questions in the survey were based on North Carolina’s Digital Learning Progress Rubric, Craven County Schools Digital Learning Plan, North Carolina Information Technology Essential Standards (NCITES), and the observations from the school’s media coordinator. Surveys were given to both students and teachers. Results from

Tony Blair’s Foreign Policies Free Essays

Abstract Blair era foreign policy can be characterised as simultaneously Europeanist and Liberal-interventionist. Based on globalist, third way ideas revolving around universal culpability and cooperation. Success inEuropewas defined as increasing British influence and changing the institutions to promote security and sustainability whilst serving British interest. We will write a custom essay sample on Tony Blair’s Foreign Policies or any similar topic only for you Order Now Success elsewhere became dependent on justifying the extraordinary interventions in terms of morals and national interest. The early success of these goals was largely evident until the issue ofIraqbrought the two policy areas into conflict and undid much of what had been done. Was the Labour party’s foreign policy under Tony Blair a success? Introduction There is a great deal of scope for evaluations of foreign policy in the Blair era, the simplest method of evaluation would be to choose objective, empirically definable criteria as indicators of achievement as many have done. However, this would not provide a satisfactory answer to the question, Buller (2008) maintains that political success is defined as the achievement of one’s own goals through politics, meaning that the criteria for evaluating the party’s success must be based on the party’s own aims. However he notes that for a realistic appraisal one must take into account the structural context when evaluating performance, Kegley and Wittkopf (2001) emphasize the importance of considering both global and domestic factors when evaluating foreign policy choices. As such this evaluation will focus on the success of Blair’s pro-European policies, the Liberal Interventionist policies and the global and domestic factors affecting these two areas. Body The first major aim, clarified by Blair (20 January,1998), was to increaseUKinfluence in the EU, bringing it closer to the centre of power through strategic cooperation. Utilising the country’s strong economic position,Britaincould have a constructive role inEurope, pursuing employment and economic flexibility, whilst increasing stability and security for the future (Blair,1998). At the same time Euro-scepticism in theUK and the single-currency issue had to be combated, further testing the government’s commitment toEurope. Europe began to subscribe to Blair’s cohesive ideas and third-way view of a free market, promising at the Lisbon Summit to transformEuropeinto â€Å"the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world by 2010† (European Council,2000). TheUK’s voting weight in the Council of Ministers was increased to 29 whilst we retained our vetoes on tax and social security. It should be noted that the political environment of restructuring in the EU coincided with a strong UKeconomy, allowing Blair a constructionist role in Europe. Financial changes related to the Euro caused the context to turn against the New Labour plan. During its ascent to power New Labour had, been pro-Euro, presuming that issues like Euro-scepticism and economic impracticalities could be solved or averted. Nick Carter (2003) noted how this could never be the case: In the free market economy that Labour supported, the market itself must be a prime consideration in economic decisions, above political will. It became apparent that the UKmarket would not benefit from joining the Euro. Thus the pro-single-currency policy was a failure while euro-scepticism was still rife in the UKat the end of the Blair leadership (TNS, 2006). Much of Labour’s early European policy had been a success though: Britainhad become influential in Europe, successfully campaigning for a focus on flexib ility and employment as well as increases in Europe’s coordinated defence forces (European Council, 1999). This favourable political environment couldn’t last in the face of the rift caused by Blair’s interventionist policy and the war inIraq. The liberal interventionist ideology was perfectly clarified by Blair himself when he pointed out that â€Å"If we can establish and spread the values of liberty, the rule of law, human rights and an open society then that is in our national interests† (Blair 1999). The success of the foreign policy goals derived from these ideals can be assessed in terms of the major interventions;Sierra Leone,Kosovo,AfghanistanandIraq. The efficiency of diplomatic and military power in achieving the Blair government’s political goals comes into focus here. But success is based on justification as well as action, in order to retain a moral basis and a wider international motivation for the interventions they had to be justified in terms of morals and national interests. The interventions in which Blair was involved before 9/11 were widely supported and successful.Sierra Leoneand Kosovo were both clear cases of foreign political agents using military force to subjugate a country before ordering massive, human rights abuses. Both countries had provable links to theUKand in both cases Tony Blair took the lead in opposing the invaders. The liberalist policy behind these had a touch of economic realism to it, with consideration of the impact of refugees and benefits gained from cooperation affecting the decisions. Thanks to the successful proposition and application of this rhetoric (e.g.Blair,1999) European and US leaders supported these politically demanding campaigns. Both were unreserved military and political victories with much praise given to Blair’s socially and economically aware foreign policy. Blair’s strong foreign policy record began to go sharply downhill after the new millennium. The terrorist attacks of 9/11 came shortly after the fairly liberalClintonadministration was replaced by the Bush conservatives. Thus the following military campaigns played out very differently. The Blair government attempted to justifyAfghanistanandIraqusing the type of moral rhetoric that worked in Kosovo. But the case was less solid here and there was little public support for the war in the UK (MORI,2002) and little chance of an all-important UN resolution supporting the war, as France and Russia threatened to veto the decision. Blair’s foreign policy, once centred on EU cooperation, had diverged from that ofEurope. When the Labour government decided to invadeIraqit was clear that the important relations withEuropewere irreparably damaged. Plant (2008) argues that Blair misjudged the motivations of hisUScounterpart, seeing a liberal colleague where there was really an economic realist concerned with national interest. This caused an already suspicious British public to turn against Labour, whilst at the international level countries began to see the idea of ‘intervention’ as a thinly disguised invasion. Simon Bulmer(2008) notes that the Labour foreign policy seemed to turn on itself, becoming almost schizophrenic in its simultaneous promotion of cooperation in Europe and isolationism inIraq. Conclusion Blair’s early foreign policy decisions were largely sound. In Europe he made strong headway and, as a result, theUKcame to be influential in the EU. The interventionist policy that originally looked farfetched was also successful, gaining domestic and international support whilst achieving its early goals. However external factors such as the 9/11 attacks combined with errors of judgement on Blair’s part caused his once celebrated interventionist agenda to be viewed with suspicion at home and abroad. Rifts with Europe Blair’s European agenda weakened. To conclude, Blair’s foreign policy mix of social conscience and economic prudence was a huge success when the context was favourable. Unfortunately the tables turned due partly to bad judgement concerningIraqand thus the once successful Blair government became the architect of its own downfall. Bibliography Blair, A. (1998) ‘Change: A Modern Britainin a Modern Europe’ The Riderzall, The Hague, Netherlands- 20th January Blair, A. (1999) ‘Doctrine of The International Community’ The ChicagoEconomic Club, Chicago, USA– 23rd April Buller, J. (2008) ‘New Labour and the European Union’ in. Beech, M. And Lee, S. Ten Years of New Labour. Basingstoke; Palgrave Macmillan. Bulmer, S. (2008) ‘New Labour, New European PolicyBlair, Brown and Utilitarian Supranationalism’ Parliamentary Affairs 61 (4) 597-620 Carter, N. (2003) ‘Whither (or Wither) the EuroLabour and the Single Currency’ Politics 23 (1) 1-9 CologneEuropean Council (1999) Conclusions of the PresidencyCologne: European Parliament Office of Communication Kegley and Wittkopf (2001) World Politics: Trend and Transformation. Bellmont:Wadsworth LisbonEuropean Council (2000) Presidency Conclusions – 23rd and 24th March 2000 Lisbon: European Parliament Office of Communication MORI (2002) Possible War With Iraq – the Public’s View London: Ipsos, Mori Plant, R (2008) ‘Blair’s Liberal Interventionism’ in. Beech, M. And Lee, S. Ten Years of New Labour. Basingstoke; Palgrave Macmillan. TNS Opinion and Social (2006) Standard Eurobarometer 66/ Autumn 2006 Brussels: EC Directorate-General of Communication How to cite Tony Blair’s Foreign Policies, Essay examples

What Counts as Knowledge in the Arts Essay Example For Students

What Counts as Knowledge in the Arts? Essay OF knowledge. Art is a lie that brings us closer to the truth; these are the words of the renowned artist Pablo Picasso. It is common belief to think that there is very little or no knowledge in the arts. The arts are normally equated too creative way Of expressing your thoughts and emotions; knowledge is not normally in the forefront when speaking about the arts. In most areas of knowledge like the sciences, facts and evidences lead to conclusions based on Which knowledge is formed. In the arts there is often no definite conclusion, no definite answer, and to many it may seem vague, but the lack of a definite conclusion does not mean hat there is no knowledge to be extracted from it. Art is form of self-expression and it takes on many forms: paintings, movies, music and literature they are all examples of art, its is a very subjective area of knowledge, what is beautiful one may be horrendous to another, but it always expresses a grain of truth, through emotion, reaction or representation. But why did Picasso say art was a lie? We will write a custom essay on What Counts as Knowledge in the Arts? specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now A lie is a sense or telling that something is not real, yet according to Picasso it brings us closer to what is real the truth through various ways of knowing like perception, emotion and by drawing conclusions. Art is in tact a beautiful lie: a lie where the issues, problems, emotions, truths and knowledge are hidden behind a flurry of beautiful colors and stark images, behind lyrical symphonies and eloquent vocabulary and even behind a simple turn of an actor, If there is indeed so much knowledge to extract from art why is it common belief that art has almost no knowledge? The belief that there is no knowledge in art tan simply be equated to the lack Of awareness and is an evidence of difference in perspective in the area of art. As I mentioned earlier art is subjective and the voice, mood and emotion Of the artist are very evident in the work. Art is based on the perspective of the artist and the viewer, the knowledge to be extracted it is heavily based on the interpretation of the viewer. A painting may convey anger to one and to another it may convey passion. I can take my own at work as an example. There were many perceptions to what I was trying to portray through the painting, some thought that was trying to express anger, others thought it was meaningless, some thought that it was a witch, my sister thought it was Red Riding Hood and Hansel and Greeter. I was actually trying to depict the calming and almost spiritual experience to experiencing rain in the woods. This example to show that different people experience art differently and thus come to different conclusions about what they see. So we can say that the reason it is common belief that there is no knowledge in art is because of the difference in perspective. When the viewer is unable to understand or imbibe the message the artist was trying to convey they come to the conclusion that there is no knowledge or message in it, simply because they are unaware or ignorant about the message of the artwork. But why is it that people are easily convinced when knowledge is imparted in the form of a science, math, history or geography codebook rather than a novel? It has long been argued that history is an art as well as a science but everyone believes that there is knowledge in history as it is recounting an event, but it can be argued that history is nothing more than a Story, especially when discussing ancient history. But if history can contain truth even though it is literature, why cant art also have knowledge in it? A streetcar named desire by is a very good example of knowledge in literature. .u3c2d1cfc9ba27d88251f68d470a51cfc , .u3c2d1cfc9ba27d88251f68d470a51cfc .postImageUrl , .u3c2d1cfc9ba27d88251f68d470a51cfc .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u3c2d1cfc9ba27d88251f68d470a51cfc , .u3c2d1cfc9ba27d88251f68d470a51cfc:hover , .u3c2d1cfc9ba27d88251f68d470a51cfc:visited , .u3c2d1cfc9ba27d88251f68d470a51cfc:active { border:0!important; } .u3c2d1cfc9ba27d88251f68d470a51cfc .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u3c2d1cfc9ba27d88251f68d470a51cfc { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u3c2d1cfc9ba27d88251f68d470a51cfc:active , .u3c2d1cfc9ba27d88251f68d470a51cfc:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u3c2d1cfc9ba27d88251f68d470a51cfc .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u3c2d1cfc9ba27d88251f68d470a51cfc .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u3c2d1cfc9ba27d88251f68d470a51cfc .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u3c2d1cfc9ba27d88251f68d470a51cfc .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u3c2d1cfc9ba27d88251f68d470a51cfc:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u3c2d1cfc9ba27d88251f68d470a51cfc .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u3c2d1cfc9ba27d88251f68d470a51cfc .u3c2d1cfc9ba27d88251f68d470a51cfc-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u3c2d1cfc9ba27d88251f68d470a51cfc:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Interesting Personal Statement (563 words) EssayWe studied this play in English and was immediately drawn by the similarity in the characters in the roles they played ND the way they were portrayed to the playwright and the situation around him when he wrote the play. It conveys the truth about the way women and homosexuals were treated and the roles different people of different social classes played. It even gives a great insight into the changing America, to be very honest learnt more about the changing America after World War II from this play than from my history books. So why is it that we do not consider this work to be history, to be knowledge but instead sidetrack it as art, something that is nothing but a pastime and as something we dont gain much knowledge from? This is because people are more comfortable accepting that a historian would know more about the time than a playwright or an artist. This is because plays and novels are often sidetracked are fictional works, something which was never real and will never be real. Y labeling something as a work of fiction eve stop looking for any knowledge in it and stop trying to learn from it this creates a stereotype in the minds of people, which prevents further learning and gaining of knowledge. People are easily convinced when the same information is conveyed to them is the form of a textbook as it is not hidden in the storyline or hinted wrought the actions Off character, but instead is stated as plain fact. So how is it possible for one gain knowledge FM art? It is truly hardest gain knowledge from the art than from science, this is because knowledge in the art is hidden. It is almost like a cryptic message that needs to be deciphered, but unlike many cryptic clues there is no hidden decoder, which tells you where to start. The only way to gain knowledge in the arts is through opening your mind to new information, one must remove stereotypes and almost all information and knowledge we thought to be the truth. Knowledge and information gained from the art is to be taken with a pinch to salt as artists have tree reign over what they wish to portray and how they wish to portray it, they are free to have strong opinions, which are not necessarily true. Therefore as a conclusion we can say that there is a great deal of knowledge in the art but it is hidden and out of clear sight this is what makes art exciting and almost like a mystery. Gaining information from the arts might not be the easiest or most reliable but this article serves to disprove the common belief that there is no knowledge in the arts.

The most important pre-requisite for a civilization to reach its Golden Age Essay Example

The most important pre The most important pre-requisite for a civilization to reach its Golden Age Paper The most important pre-requisite for a civilization to reach its Golden Age Paper Essay Topic: History Tao Te Ching Every civilization will rise and fall at some point in time. That is what defines a civilization. The peak of a civilizations rise and fall would be called the civilizations Golden Age. Civilizations Golden Ages differ depending on how much they had advanced during their Golden Age. As the Golden Age is the peak of a civilization, naturally the civilization would fall afterwards, which is what makes it the Golden Age, where the citizens were all generally happy and content with their lives and with nothing to fear for. There are many factors that are vital for a civilization to reach its peak, such as strong military, a good and stable government and an open society along with economic prosperity. A government with good leadership is an essential pre-requisite for a civilization to reach its peak. Having a strong leader in the government will ensure the civilizations safety against threats. Thus, the citizens will feel safe and peaceful when there is no fear of any danger coming their way. Hence, the people of the civilization will have no unrest and can be at peace. When they are at peace, artists and scientists can then focus their time on the arts and sciences, developing it and thus helping the civilization progress into its golden age. A case in point would be the Gupta Dynasty, with good leaders such as Chandra Gupta I, Samudra Gupta and Chandra Gupta II, where Samudra was not only a good military leader, but he was also a patron of the arts, promoting it and helping the Gupta civilization thrive during its Golden Age. Examples of their advancement include epic poems composed by citizens such as Mahabharata and stories like Puranas. In addition, a basic medical textbook was also created, as well as Arabic numerals, something most of the world uses today. In doing so, this will give way to new ideas and ways of thinking for the people, thus driving the society forward into its Golden Age. In addition, a good government that allows for an open society is a vital factor in helping a civilization reach its Golden Age. By being open and flexible to new ideas, the society can then make progress. By enabling ideas from abroad to enter the society and to put them to use, cultural and intellectual exchange can take place between civilizations, benefiting both, as well as giving them new ideas such that these ideas can be used to develop the arts and science. Hence, they will flourish and bring the civilization higher and nearer to its peak. A good example would be the Tang Dynasty, where the Tang emperor encouraged the development of Buddhism, and commissioned monk Xuan Zong on a mission to India and Sri Lanka to study Buddhist scriptures. While they encourage Buddhism, they did not punish others from practicing other faiths, like Taoism or Confucianism. These religions thrived and benefited the civilization, and had made many achievements in scholarship, literature, technology and art. Hence, the society will be introduced to different ways of thinking and thus, allowing the civilization to enter its Golden Age. A strong and effective government is another essential pre-requisite for a civilization to reach its peak, as a strong and effective government can help maintain law and order by implementing policies to the benefit of the society. This brings about higher productivity in society by organizing and running the country effectively, which encourages and promotes culture, as it recognizes the potential of the culture being a unifying force of society. When law order is established, the government has more time and resources to focus on other aspects of growth and development such as in the promotion of arts and culture. This would effectively mean that given official or royal patronage of the arts, artists would be able to develop their craft and even explore different art forms and genres. People exposed to more modes of thinking and expression which may very well lead to other innovations. This would drive the art and culture of the civilization forward, allowing for the civilization to reach its golden age. A case in point would be the Tang dynasty, where many poems where written, with famous poets from then such as Libai and others. Thus, this introduces the society to different ways of expressing themselves and in so doing, propelling them into the Golden Age. Another important pre-requisite for a civilization to reach its climax is having strong military. Having strong military helps to keep enemies away from the civilization and neutralizes threats to the society. This will allow the kingdom to be powerful and strong, such that no one is troubled by external threats to the civilization. This in turn, will give the civilization more peace and time to concentrate on developing itself in many different ways. Hence, it can go on an extensive conquest to conquer the lands and gain power using their strong military forces. A case study would be the Tang Dynasty, where emperor Taizhong re-conquered land that was broken away as well as conquered land in the north and the west, while his military power grew stronger and stronger, giving the citizens nothing to worry about. By doing this, the society can continue to grow in military strength and reach its Golden Age. In conclusion, there are many factors that contribute to the reaching of a civilizations Golden Age, having a good and uncorrupted government will allow it to make good and well-though out decisions, and ensure the strength of its military. Also, by having a strong government, that means the it can be humble and be open to new ideas to the civilization and allow the citizens to be introduced to new forms of art, etc. thus, this will make sure of the civilizations economic prosperity. With a good government, its leader can then be well educated and skilled in leading, making sure that the civilization continues to thrive. Hence, a strong and effective government is the most important pre-requisite for a civilization to reach its Golden Age.

The Wind in Willows Book Review

'The Wind in Willows' Book Review The Wind in the Willows is a childrens story that lives in the hearts and minds of its readers well into adulthood. With its subtle blend of anthropomorphism and very-British humor, the book is a classic tale of river life and friendship. The Wind in the Willows is surprisingly dark and thrilling in placesparticularly in the later chapters and the battle of Toad Hall. The book provides something that few novels of its time can claim: all-round entertainment for all ages. The story confirms the power of close friends and courage to make a difference in the lives of others. Overview: The Wind in the Willows The novel begins with Mole, a peace-loving little animal, doing some spring cleaning. He soon meets another of the people who live by the river, Ratty, who enjoys nothing more than messing about in boats. After a number of pleasant afternoons having picnics and spending time on the river, Mole and Ratty decide to visit one of Rattys friends, Toad whowhen they arriveexplains to them his latest obsession, a horse, and cart. They go for a ride with Toad, but whilst on the road, they are tipped over by a speeding motorcar (which completely breaks Toads little cart). Far from being upset by the loss of his favorite toy, Toads first thought is that he, too, wants one of those incredible automobiles. This obsession leads him to trouble, however. Much to Mole, Ratty and their old and wise friend Badgers sadness, Toad is soon arrested and sent to prison for stealing a motor car. However, within the gaol, one of the guards daughters soon feels sorry for the poor Toad (who certainly wasnt made for prison life), and gives him some old washerwoman’s clothes and helps him to escape. Toad returns to the river and is welcomed by his friends, who tell him that his home, Toad Hallonce his pride and joyhas been overtaken by the cruel woodlanders: the stoats and the weasels. Some hope does seem to be in sight. Badger tells Toad that there is a secret tunnel leading back into the very heart of Toad Hall and the four friends follow it, leading them right into the lair of their enemies. An enormous battle ensues and Badger, Mole, Ratty and Toad manage to rid the hall of stoats and weasels, placing Toad back where he belongs. The rest of the book suggests that the four friends will continue in their easy-going lifestyle, occasionally taking trips on the river and eating picnics. Toad manages to curb his obsessive behavior, somewhat, but cannot completely cure himself. Englishness in The Wind in the Willows The true joy of The Wind in the Willows is the image of English life: a very Georgian, upper-middle-class take on the world in which the countryside is covered by an incessant summer time and which days can be spent idling by the riverside and watching the world go by. Because of the success of The Wind in the Willows, Kenneth Grahame was able to leave his unhappy job in a bank and live very much the life he represented in the pages of the booka life full of cake at tea time, and the soothing sound of the river running past. The novel is also very much loved for its characters: the slightly pompous and ridiculous toad (who is completely carried away by his latest obsession), and the wise old badger (who is crotchety, but who has very high regard for his friends). They are characters who embody the English values of fortitude and good humor. But, these creatures are also incredibly honorable and willing to fight (even to the death) for their little piece of England. There is something ineffably comforting about Grahames little storyfamiliar and also very powerful. The animal characters are completely humanized, but their personalities and characteristics are still linked to their animals characters. The Wind in the Willows is wryly humorous and tremendously fun. This book is one of the greatest childrens books of all time.

Low in business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Low in business - Essay Example In the UK, â€Å"Product liability law defines a defective product as existing when the safety of the product is below that which consumers are entitled to expect†¦The standard of proof required by the court is such that the person claiming compensation must be able to show†¦that the defect in the product caused the injury or damage† (â€Å"UK Product Liability Law,† 2009). In one case of product liability, â€Å"[an individual] helped his mother attach [a] product to his younger brothers pushchair. One of the elastic straps slipped and lashed back. The buckle attached to the elastic strap hit him in the eye causing serious, permanent damage. The claimant sued Mothercare, the supplier of the product, claiming damages in negligence and also under the Consumer Protection Act† (â€Å"Abouzaid v. Mothercare (UK) Ltd.,† 2009). Brian is a budding semi-professional roller skater, and ha been practising for a national roller skating competition in which he was the favourite to win a 5000-pound prize. Albert asked James (Phillip’s younger brother and sales associate at Cretins Ltd.) whether the store had any skates suitable for semi-professional skating. Not only did Brian fall, but he brought his father down with him. Brain sustained a broken ankle, which would prevent him from skating for a year—while Albert sustained a broken arm in the accident. This is an incidence of where product liability would come into play. â€Å"Products liability refers to the liability of any or all parties along the chain of manufacture of any product for damage caused by that product. This includes the manufacturer of component parts (at the top of the chain), an assembling manufacturer, the wholesaler, and the retail store owner† (â€Å"Product Liability—US,† 2009). There are multiple possibilities. â€Å"Products liability law consists of a mixture of tort law and contract law†¦Aspects that relate to

Cultural Differences in Uncertainty Reduction Essay

Cultural Differences in Uncertainty Reduction - Essay Example The basic difference between high context cultures and low context ones is that while high context cultures view communication as a means for social bonding, low context cultures see it as a means for information transmission. As a result people while people from these varied cultural backgrounds are faced with anxiety when dealing with strangers, the manner in which they tackle the issue is rather different. Charles Berger's Uncertainty Reduction Theory deals with this concept of 'uncertainty' and focuses on how different aspects of communication can increase or decrease our uncertainty level about others Uncertainty reduction is all about understanding a stranger and being able to predict and explain his/her behaviour in a given context. (Griffin, 2006)The first part of this paper focuses on Charles Berger's uncertainty reduction theory and how this theory is important to our understanding of communication between cultures. The second part of the paper discusses the issue of cultural differences between societies and individuals. This section will describe the various characteristics of high and low context cultures and how they try to reduce uncertainty while dealing with strangers. Expanding on Berger's theory,. ... Expanding on Berger's theory,. William Gudykunst and his colleagues found out that all cultures seek to reduce anxiety and uncertainty in the initial stages of the relationship, but they do so in different ways (Littlejohn & Foss, 2004). The difference can be explained by whether one is a member of a high-context culture or low-context culture. Central to the uncertainty reduction theory, which was originally formulated by Charles Berger, is the assumption that when strangers meet, their primary concern is one of uncertainty reduction or increasing predictability about the behavior of both themselves and others in the interaction (Wright, 2000). The original formulation of uncertainty reduction theory in initial interactions posited seven axioms and 21 theorems which specify the interrelations among uncertainty, amount of communication, nonverbal affirmative expressiveness, information seeking, intimacy level of communication content, reciprocity, similarity, and liking (Gudykunst, 1985). The seven axioms that Berger uses to reinforce his theory are; as verbal communication increases, the level of uncertainty decreases; uncertainty causes increased levels of information seeking; high levels of uncertainty result in low levels of self disclosure; uncertainty causes increased levels of reciprocity; similarities decreases unce rtainty whereas dissimilarities increase uncertainty; and high levels of uncertainty causes a decrease in liking whereas low levels of uncertainty increase liking (Wright, 2000). Charles Berger's Uncertainty reduction Theory focuses on how human communication can be used to gain knowledge and create understanding. (Griffin, 2006) . Uncertainty reduction follws a three step pattern of developmental stages namely, entry personal and exit. At