Counseling Children in a Community Setting Essay Example for Free

Counseling Children in a Community Setting Essay This article deals with the effects of loss on children of both a primary and secondary nature. Events such as the death of a parent or friend and the resulting consequences can be difficult for a child to deal with, depending on what stage they are at developmentally. Other losses such as personal possessions, those resulting from abuse or a sudden change in a childs life can also be difficult (Goldman, 2004). The author also discusses, according to Piagets developmental theory, how children deal with loss. Younger children can often have trouble understanding why a loved one died may connect an event to the death that is not even related. Older children are curious as to the events and reasons for the loss, tending to seek answers as to why the death occurred. It is recommended that when speaking to children about death, an age-appropriate explanation should be used. Children need to have information that clearly defines specific type of death that has occurred, such as a murderer or an accident (Goldman, 2004). To help children effectively cope with a sudden loss, Goldman proffers several options that can be productive. Having a team that focuses on supporting the child can be very beneficial to bereavement counseling. This team has members from: the family, school and includes the counselor. The team assesses exactly what losses have occurred to the child and what developmental stage the child is at. Based on this information, the team can set up a plan for supporting the child (2004). Other methods that can be used to help the child include helping the family communicate about the death, support groups, play therapy and focusing on early intervention. The author stresses the importance of having an all-around knowledge of the circumstances and that considering the consequences that the loss will have on a childs whole life experience (Goldman, 2004). References Goldman, Linda. (2004). Counseling with children within contemporary society. Journal of Mental Health Counseling, Volume 26, no. 2, 168-187.

Anonymity and Loss of Self in Crowd Theory

Anonymity and Loss of Self in Crowd Theory Phillip Tyler In locating and explaining the place of anonymity in the behaviour of crowds, and its association with a loss of self (Dixon and Mahendra, 2012), an appeal must be made to crowd behavioral theory and evidence to support these theories. This paper will look to the history of the study of crowds, the process of de-individuation and the theory of crowds based on a theory of social identity to provide a picture of the place of anonymity in crowd theory, and the association with loss of self. The first instance of anonymity being a quality significant to crowd behaviour, can be found in the work of Le Bon. Le Bon laid foundations for the psychological study of crowds with his 1895 text La Psychologie Des Foules, in which he described crowds in generally negative and unfavourable ways. He remarked on their tendency towards impulsive behaviours, to become easily irritated and their seeming inability to use reason to decide action (Le Bon, 1896). This last quality was among the most important for Le Bon, as he believed that the crowd lost any individuals rationality and, therefore, could not be rational in itself. Instead, there existed a group mind that the individual became a part of, and this experience brought to the fore deeply hidden tendencies for aggression, leading to similarly aggressive actions, all of which was made possible by the removal of the rationality of thinking actions through to their consequences. The crowd was highly open to emotional and ideological suggestion, with sentiment able to move through the crowd swiftly as if such things were contagious (Dixon and Mahen dra, 2012). All this was made possible by the key feature of anonymity. Actions could be performed without thought for consequence because it was the crowd, and not the individual, performing the action; the individual remains unseen or anonymous, and hence defers responsibility for said action from them personally, to the crowd. For Le Bon, anonymity and loss of individual self were clearly and strongly associated, as when becoming part of the group the individual gave up their individuality. Le Bons work was based largely on distanced observation and his work was unsupported by evidence as would be required by modern psychology. He also had little experience of being in a crowd himself, this coupled with his belonging to a higher social class, could have led to his negative outlook on crowds. Though, it is mostly the lack of evidence that makes Le Bons case for anonymity less convincing, his was a stepping stone for other theorists and researchers to take the quality of anonymity on to sturdier ground. Anonymity was defined more clearly by Festinger, Pepitone and Newcome in 1952 as a reduction in the individuals perceptions that they are, personally, being noticed and evaluated for responsibility for actions performed (Dixon and Mahendra, 2012). This sense of anonymity was key to their theory that claimed that this reduced perception allowed an individual to stop seeing themselves as singular, but more immersed in the group, which then led to a group or crowd being able to be more uninhibited and impulsive than any one individual, a process they called deindividuation. This theory replaced Le Bons and was able to be formalised for the gathering of evidence by stating requirements for deindividuation to occur, measuring psychological changes in people in the deindividuated state and observing changes in behaviours. The association with loss of self can also be seen here, as the individual stops seeing themselves as singularly responsible, and part of something larger. Zimbardo (1969) put forward that the individual feels less morally culpable for any harm the group may cause. It is for this reason that each member of the group feels less responsible for the actions of the group as a whole that more violent and aggressive behaviour is sometimes exhibited (Dixon and Mahendra, 2012). Zimbardo found that participants in a scenario where some wore masks and cloaks to hide their appearance, gave higher electric shocks to other participants, than those with their appearances un-masked (Zimbardo, 1969). Robert Watson (1973) found that those involved in violent clashes with other groups, who had first altered their appearance with masks or paint, perpetrated more acts of heightened and prolonged violence than those that did not. Some research seeks to take measurements other than violence or aggression as a measure of the effects of anonymity. Participants in a darkened room took to feeling more intimate towards one another other as was evidenced by their conversation, touching and feelings of sexual arousal (Gergen, Gergen and Barton, 1973), over participants in a non-darkened condition. This experiment shows that aggression isnt the only possible outcome of anonymity, and may not be an inevitable one. The anonymity provided by the darkness allowed for curiosity to develop, producing the conversation of a more serious and intimate nature than the other condition produced, allowing for the possibility that its the context of the crowd plus anonymity, rather than anonymity on its own, that influences crowd behaviour (Dixon and Mahendra, 2012). When general social rules are not applicable, such as meeting strangers in the dark, curiosity rather than aggression was the response. This may still represent a loss of self, though not a negatively focused, aggressive or violent one. The loss of self in this example could be seen a s a dropping of usual personal inhibitions, then cued by the context of the crowd to pursue personal conversation rather than the violence seen in the previous examples. If violence is the measurement taken by the experiment, then that feature is present in the crowd context and taken up by deinvididuated participants, when this is not the case, participants are not naturally violent. When masked and told to administer electric shocks to participants, those dressed as Ku Klux Klan members did so with marginally more intensity than those in unmasked Ku Klux Klan costumes. Though, those dressed in nurses uniformed did so significantly less, when masked, compared to unmasked nurses, and both KKK groups (Johnson and Downing, 1979). This suggests, quite strongly that there is a loss of self that comes with anonymity, but that the contextual cues taken by participants , for example, from being dressed as part of a group whos associated qualities involved caring and compassion, are significantly important. If anonymity and a mask produced more violent behaviour in KKK costumes than unmasked, it does follow that there is to be an increase in caring and compassion from those dressed as nurses, in the masked versus the unmasked condition, because the participant relies on the qualities of the group they are associated with, and its these qualities that become exaggerated. T his may be a loss of self through anonymity, but in becoming part of the group, the groups social identity cues become guides for behaviour. An alternate view to the way deindividuation theory looks at crowd behaviour is to say rather than becoming part of a group mind, or losing ones rationality to the crowd through anonymity, crowds are made up of people with similar, if broader, social identities, and that these identities are exaggerated, or brought to the fore, by being a member of this group. Football matches are a good example. People who may have nothing else in common, but support the same football team, for example, may act in unison as a group when at a football game, as the contextual cues bring these in-group qualities to the fore. Anonymous in a crowd in a football stadium and identifying with the social context, rather than losing ones self, crowd members act according to their social identity. It is this social identity that provides guidelines for behaviour, rather than being the cause of breakdown of all social rules, leading to violent or aggressive behaviour (Dixon and Mahendra, 2012). Motivated by the context to act in ways approved by in-group values and to demonstrate in-group membership, behaviour can sometimes be predicted more accurately because the individuals desire to remain as part of the in-group means they tend to adhere more to in-group behavioural norms. Adhering close to ones social identity, when in a social setting, does not necessarily represent a loss of self, as the qualitie s being displayed are part of the individual as a whole, it is simply the context they are in that bring them to the fore. When viewed from an outsiders point of view, crowd behaviour seems to include an inevitable loss of self, stemming from the individuals experience of anonymity that leads to aggression and violent tendencies in behaviour. When violence is not the measurement taken, other outcomes are shown that include intimacy and conversation. The view of social identity theory is that individuals in crowds do not necessarily experience a loss of self, rather it is that social identity informs behaviour and in-group values and behavioural norms are more likely to influence behaviour of the group than individual identity. References Dixon, J., and Mahendra, K. (2012) Crowds in Holloway, W., Lucey, H., Phoenix, A. and Lewis, G. (eds) Social Psychology Matters, Milton Keynes, The Open University. Festinger, L., Peptone, A. and Newcome, T. (1952) as cited in Dixon and Mahendra (2012) p6. Gergen, K., Gergen, M. and Barton, W. (1973) as cited in Dixon and Mahendra (2012) p10. Johnson, R. D. and Downing, L. L. (1979) as cited in Dixon and Mahendra (2012) p8. Le Bon, G. (1896), as cited in Dixon and Mahendra (2012) p5. Watson, R. I. (1973) as cited in Dixon and Mahendra (2012) p8. Zimbardo, P. G. (1969) as cited in Dixon and Mahendra (2012) p6-7.

Evaluation Of Fountas And Pinnell Benchmark

Evaluation Of Fountas And Pinnell Benchmark The Fountas and Pinnell Benchmark Assessment System, created by Irene Fountas and Gay Su Pinnell, is designed to place students appropriately into a guided reading program, show the gains in student achievement, progress monitoring and identify students in need of intervention (those who are not meeting the districts proficiency levels). In short, it relates reading ability. The sub-contents addressed include: Word Analysis Skills, Reading Strategies, Comprehending Reading Materials, Literary Elements and Techniques and Literary Works. The test consists primarily of running records, in which the teacher records oral fluency, reading errors and self-correction ratios. In addition, it is followed by a retelling and comprehension conversation between the student and teacher. Finally a writing prompt (optional) is given to the student. In the setting where I am directly working with the Fountas and Pinnell Benchmark, we are requiring all students to complete the writing prompt. I have addressed the reason for the issue below in the evaluation portion. The test is administered in kindergarten through eighth grade at the end of each quarter. The assessment usually takes twenty to thirty minutes. This could take longer if more than one assessment is needed to find the appropriate benchmark level. Specific features of the Fountas and Pinnell Benchmark Assessment System allows you to determine your students independent and instructional reading levels, group students for reading instruction, select texts that will be produc tive for a students instruction, assess the outcomes of teaching, assess a new students reading level for independent reading and instruction, identify students who need intervention and extra help, document student progress across a school year and across grade levels, create class profiles and inform parents. (Heinemann, 2011) In addition to an accuracy percentage, reading rate, self-correction rate and fluency score, the assessment has a Comprehension Conversation that completes the assessment procedures. Students are required to read a text and to have this comprehension conversation, with specific prompts to obtain key understandings for three kinds of thinking- Thinking Within the Text (getting the literal meaning by processing words and stated ideas), Thinking Beyond the Text (getting the implied meaning and synthesizing information) and Thinking About the Text (responding to the authors craft). (Placeholder1) The content that is covered in the benchmark includes reading accuracy, reading comprehension, reading fluency and self-correction ratio. This is similar to the informal assessments being given to students through- out a literacy block in a reading workshop approach. This assessment can be used both formatively and summatively. It is a standardized, teacher-administered, one-on-one assessment; it is hand-scored by the teacher. The assessment should be administered by classroom teacher after they have been trained to administer the test. A video is provided to view for staff development or individual teacher viewing. This can help to ensure that the assessment is delivered in a standardized way. The BAS (Benchmark Assessment System) is based on research in language development, vocabulary expansion, reading acquisition, and reading difficulties. Five areas addressed by the National Reading Panel as fundamental to student success in literacy acquisition are assessed in the BAS. These are: phonological awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension. The assessment also addresses student motivation and interest in overall reading. According to the official field study document of the assessment: The field data were collected systematically and analyzed on an ongoing basis to determine the programs achievement of its objectives. Reports were developed and used as a basis for determining the soundness, complexities, and utility of the program. Due to the process incorporating ongoing feedback gathered by field-test examiners, the program authors and developers were able to make informed decisions regarding adjustments and refinements. At the conclusion of the field study, an independent data-analysis team was brought in to evaluate the programs reliability and validity. This formative research was conducted in two phases. Phase I of the study addressed research questions 1 and 2; Phase II addressed research question 3. Prior to the formative evaluation, an editorial process was used to establish the text leveling. Field testing included a total of 497 students spanning grades K-8. Field testing of System 1 included 252 students and System 2 included 245 students. School sites from which these students were drawn were socioeconomically, ethnically, and geographically diverse. The research goal was to identify typical students. Accordingly, students were selected on the basis of their ability to read and understand texts that were written approximately at grade level or above. Participants were also proficient speakers of English. Each field test examiner determined an individual students eligibility after discussing his or her reading profile with their respective teachers. Thirteen field-test examiners were selected. All field-test examiners were educators who had extensive training in administering running records and in using other forms of benchmark assessments to assess students reading levels. Field-test examiners were not affiliated with the field sites and therefore could be objective in both identifying students and in administering assessments. Prior to the beginning of the field testing, a two-day intensive training session led by the authors, guided the field-test examiners in the formative evaluations protocols and procedures. A total of 22 different schools participated in field testing of either System 1 or System 2 (some schools participated in both field tests). Field testing took place across the following geographic regions of the United States: Boston Metropolitan area 1 examiner; 1 school / Providence, Rhode Island 1 examiner; 2 schools / Houston Metropolitan area 2 examiners; 5 schools / Los Angeles area 4 examiners; 6 schools / Columbus, OH, area 3 examiners; 5 schools / Orlando, FL, area 2 examiners; 3 schools. (Field Study of Reliability and Validity of the Fountas and Pinnell Benchmark Assessment Systems 1 and 2). (Fountas and Pinnell, 2011, pp. 2-3) Assessment Appearance and Content The assessment includes two options of books for each level- System 1 (Grades K-2, Levels A-N) contains 28 Books (14 Fiction and 14 Nonfiction) and System 2 (Grades 3-8, Levels L-Z) contains 30 Books (15 Fiction and 15 Nonfiction). The Fountas and Pinnell levels gradient is a defined continuum of characteristics related to the level of support and challenges that a reader meets in a text. At each level (A to Z) texts are analyzed using ten characteristics: (1) genre/form; (2) text structure; (3) content; (4) themes and ideas; (5) language and literary features; (6) sentence complexity; (7) vocabulary; (8) word difficulty; (9) illustrations/graphics; and (10) book and print features. Texts are leveled using a highly reliable process in which teams of trained teachers, working independently and then through consensus, assign a level to books after analyzing them according to the ten factors. They are then analyzed by Fountas and Pinnell. The benchmark books were actually created to pre cisely match the gradient, and they were independently analyzed using the same process. (Heinemann, 2011) The Assessment Guide to the BAS describes the administration of the assessment as follows: The students appropriate reading level for the assessment to be administered is based in the students current guided reading level, or can be determined by a Where to Start word list that was developed by the authors to assist examiners in quickly placing a student at his or her appropriate reading level. Next, the administer is to assess the students ability to read and comprehend three levels of books. They are to determine one book that is easy the students independent reading level; one book that offered just enough difficult vocabulary and/or concepts to make the reading interesting and challenging , the students instructional reading level; and a third book that was too challenging the students hard reading level. Accuracy of reading guidelines, consistent with Fountas and Pinnells framework (2006b), is as follows: independent level (95-100 percent accuracy); instructional level (90-94 percent accuracy), and hard level (below 90 percent accuracy). (Fountas Pinnell, pp. 180- 181) The assessment should be given in the classroom or other familiar setting. A reasonably quiet and comfortable environment is necessary so that distractions do not interfere with the assessment. All materials should be ready to go accessible to the teacher, so that the assessment may run smoothly with few distractions. If the student seems to be getting frustrated after reading one or two texts, it may be necessary to stop the assessment and begin at a later time. Each of the areas assessed relates to the content and sub-content (in various levels) taught to kindergarten through eighth grade students during their literacy block. The BAS lets the administrator think about, assess and identify a variety of different skills and strategies the reader may have strengths or deficits in. It is designed to measure progress in each of the sub-skills in a way that informs instruction. It is linked to a continuum of observable behaviors to assess and teach for at every level. (Heinemann, 2011) Each teacher in grades kindergarten through eighth grade has a copy of the continuum. The assessment format is similar to the informal assessments (running records and conferring with readers) used in the classroom. These informal assessments are used periodically throughout the quarter. The Fountas and Pinnell Benchmark Assessment System does require a more in-depth conversation than traditional classroom conferences. The students fluency level is also assessed using the following criteria: Readers phrase or group words, through intonation, stress, and pauses. They emphasize the beginnings and endings of phrases by the rising and falling of pitch or by pausing. Students adhere to the authors syntax or sentence structure, reflecting their comprehension. Readers are expressive; their reading reflects feeling, anticipation, and character development. Once a students instructional reading level is determined, the student is engaged in a comprehension conversation about that particular book. If students are unresponsive or give an incomplete response, educators may prompt them according to a predetermined set of questions. Next, the teacher rates the students understanding of a text using the Fountas and Pinnell comprehension guidelines. The areas are rated on a scale from 0-3: Thinking within the text, thinking beyond the text and thinking about the text. Evaluating the Fountas and Pinnell Benchmark Assessment System A review of the benchmark assessment shows no bias towards individuals or groups based on race, ethnicity, gender or disabilities. Students with disabilities are given the assessment that aligns with their individual progress along the literacy continuum and text gradient for the reader. At times, when the fluency level is timed, an educator may note on the side specific speech issues. All other accommodations as mandated by their IEPs are allowed. The assessment is used to determine reading ability, therefore, students with IEPs requiring that test be read for certain circumstance are not allowed this accommodation for the benchmark. The wording and content of the benchmark assessment is predominately age and grade appropriate. However, for students reading extremely below their age or grade level peers, the text may seem immature for their age. The gradient levels of difficulty of the text chosen for the assessment were carefully thought out and field tested. I feel the content validity of the Fountas and Pinnell Benchmark Assessment System can be improved by adding a more rigorous requirement in the writing about reading area. I do not feel that one prompt adequately show how a student can write about reading. In addition, I feel that as students move into the older grades, that comprehension should be judged more on the students writing about the text than a comprehension conversation. One other area of the assessment could be improved. There are only two books, one fiction and one nonfiction, at each level. This does not give educators much room for error or special education teachers room to reassess at a similar level, identifying strengths in a particular sub-content and not just text level gradient. There is at least one item per target, with some items having more than one item per target. Some of the sub-content areas did not have a target for each taxonomy level, but with further investigation (into the upper grade Benchmark Assessment, possibly) it would most likely cover each taxonomy level. In addition, each item does belong on the assessment and relates to a specific sub-content area/taxonomy level. The Illinois Reading Standards addressed include: 1.A.1b Comprehend unfamiliar words using context clues and prior knowledge; verify meanings with resource materials, 1.B.1c Continuously check and clarify for understanding (e.g., reread, read ahead, use visual and context clues, ask questions, retell, use meaningful substitutions), 1.B.2d Read age-appropriate material aloud with fluency and accuracy, 1.C.2b Make and support inferences and form interpretations about main themes and topics, 1.C.2d Summarize and make generalizations from content and relate to purpose of material, 1.C.2e Explain how authors and illustrators use text and art to express their ideas (e.g., points of view, design hues, metaphor), 1.C.1f Use information presented in simple tables, maps and charts to form an interpretation, 2.A.2b Describe how literary elements (e.g., theme, character, setting, plot, tone, conflict) are used in literature to create meaning and 2.B.1a Respond to literary materials by connecting them to their own experience and communicate those responses to others. Classroom Assessment Blueprint and Learning Targets The classroom assessment blueprint and the list of learning targets appear below. Assessment items and the number of the associated learning target are included in the blueprint. Remembering Understanding Applying Analyzing Evaluating Creating Total Targets Word Analysis Skills 1. Identify the meaning of unfamiliar words using prior knowledge 2. Discover the meaning of unfamiliar words using context clues. 22. Monitors own understanding and accuracy. 20. Constructs literal meaning of the text through solving words. 4 Reading Strategies 4. Reads primarily in larger, meaningful phrases or word groups. 23. Predicts information about the text. 5. Demonstrates fluency by reading using mostly smooth, expressive interpretation and pausing guided by authors meaning and punctuation. 3. Assess and clarify for understanding (e.g., reread, read ahead, use visual and context clues, ask questions, retell, and use meaningful substitutions). 4 Comprehend Reading Materials 6. Recall ideas by reference to details in the text. 18. Identify the main ideas and supporting details of a story or fiction passage. 9. Summarize a story or non-fiction passage. 19. Demonstrate excellent understanding of the text through summarizing. (Includes almost all important information and main ideas.) 10. Demonstrate understanding of characters in a story or non-fiction passage (i.e. through retell). 11. Identify connections with prior knowledge or personal experiences. 25. Infers what is implied but not stated in the text. 22. Monitors own understanding and accuracy. ** Two places** 17. Tell the main idea of a non-fiction paragraph. 27. Write a response about the reading (from given prompt). 10 Literary Elements and Techniques 7. Define setting in a story or fiction passage. 8. Recall sequence of events. 12. Summarize the major events in a narrative. 29. Demonstrate an understanding of the craft and structure of a text (literary language, story structure, perspective, etc.). 16. Distinguish elements of the authors craft. 30. Support knowledge and ideas (and act on them) to include ones thinking by writing in response to text 15. Construct chronological sequence of events after reading a story or fiction passage. 7 Literary Works 24. Identify key details when summarizing a story or non-fiction passage. 28. Remember and report key ideas and details from texts, including understanding characters. 13. Point out the authors purpose. 14. Interpret how the authors purpose affects the interpretation of the reading selection. 26. Tells new information by synthesizing and changing own ideas. 5 Learning Targets Students will be able to: 1. Identify the meaning of unfamiliar words using prior knowledge. 2. Discover the meaning of unfamiliar words using context clues. 3. Assess and clarify for understanding (e.g., reread, read ahead, use visual and context clues, ask questions, retell, and use meaningful substitutions). 4. Reads primarily in larger, meaningful phrases or word groups. 5. Demonstrates fluency by reading using mostly smooth, expressive interpretation and pausing guided by authors meaning and punctuation. 6. Recall ideas by reference to details in the text. 7. Define setting in a story or fiction passage. 8. Recall sequence of events. 9. Summarize a story or non-fiction passage. 10. Demonstrate understanding of characters in a story or non-fiction passage (i.e. through retell). 11. Identify connections with prior knowledge or personal experiences. 12. Summarize the major events in a narrative. 13. Point out the authors purpose. 14. Interpret how the authors purpose affects the interpretation of the reading selection. 15. Construct chronological sequence of events after reading a story or fiction passage. 16. Distinguish elements of the authors craft. 17. Tell the main idea of a non-fiction paragraph. 18. Identify the main ideas and supporting details of a story or fiction passage. 19. Demonstrate excellent understanding of the text through summarizing. (Includes almost all important information and main ideas.) 20. Constructs literal meaning of the text through solving words. 22. Monitors own understanding and accuracy. 23. Predicts information about the text. 24. Identify key details when summarizing a story or non-fiction passage. 25. Infers what is implied but not stated in the text. 26. Tells new information by synthesizing and changing own ideas. 27. Write a response about the reading (from given prompt). 28. Remember and report key ideas and details from texts, including understanding characters. 29. Demonstrate an understanding of the craft and structure of a text (literary language, story structure, perspective, etc.). 30. Support knowledge and ideas (and act on them) to include ones thinking by writing in response to text.

The Effects of the Internet on the Future Essay example -- Technology

The Effects of the Internet on the Future If every action has an opposite and equal reaction, then a huge branch-like system connecting information and people scattered into an abyss of nothing encompassed in a piece of desktop hardware and Glorified as "the Web", would actually be the opposite and equal reaction to the brain that sits and stares into it. Artificial Intelligence the demise of our own consumption, Why not? I definitely wouldn't call it a being of the lesser species either. Sure the Internet's soul purpose is to feed us but it feeds us whatever we want. Never again will we have to doubt our selves, instead of saying "I'll bet on it" you can say "hold on a sec." And pull out your pocket device to reference the Great Web. Freedom of information, or just the right amount to help control the masses, you decide. Dormant in the real time world, this artificial opposite yet equal being is very much alive within both the conscious and subconscious mind of the user. It changed the world and like all great tragedies a well delayed after shock has started taking place. October 30th 1938, Orsen Welles, who was 23 at the time, creates mass hysteria over the eastern coast during a radio broadcast on his Mercury Theater of the Air. Despite the disclaimer at the end of the broadcast over a million listeners panicked and fled into the streets. Some headlines include; -Many flee homes to escape gas raids from Mars. -Confusion caused by radio dramatization "War of the Worlds" was evidence radio needs "control by the Government". Senator Herring. The Senator then prepared a bill that would give the Federal Communications Commission permission to pass on every radi... ...er an entire generation of people living inside a world of electronic and neural connections. No more time wasted on the ever so slow method of physical interactions to achieve communications. A world where rumors are made in split second decisions. Like the Oklahoma City bombing being connected to the Waco tragedy and Ruby Ridge. Some of these conspiracy theories have even been acknowledged within the white house. This artificial life we've created might not be the robot many imagined back in the fifty's, but there is definitely signs of life within this infinite tree of brain matter and optical cables. Whether it be a nuclear attack or gas from Mars information will always cause a reaction to every action. I believe that the future has yet to take place and nothing is foretold, therefore anything is possible. The Effects of the Internet on the Future Essay example -- Technology The Effects of the Internet on the Future If every action has an opposite and equal reaction, then a huge branch-like system connecting information and people scattered into an abyss of nothing encompassed in a piece of desktop hardware and Glorified as "the Web", would actually be the opposite and equal reaction to the brain that sits and stares into it. Artificial Intelligence the demise of our own consumption, Why not? I definitely wouldn't call it a being of the lesser species either. Sure the Internet's soul purpose is to feed us but it feeds us whatever we want. Never again will we have to doubt our selves, instead of saying "I'll bet on it" you can say "hold on a sec." And pull out your pocket device to reference the Great Web. Freedom of information, or just the right amount to help control the masses, you decide. Dormant in the real time world, this artificial opposite yet equal being is very much alive within both the conscious and subconscious mind of the user. It changed the world and like all great tragedies a well delayed after shock has started taking place. October 30th 1938, Orsen Welles, who was 23 at the time, creates mass hysteria over the eastern coast during a radio broadcast on his Mercury Theater of the Air. Despite the disclaimer at the end of the broadcast over a million listeners panicked and fled into the streets. Some headlines include; -Many flee homes to escape gas raids from Mars. -Confusion caused by radio dramatization "War of the Worlds" was evidence radio needs "control by the Government". Senator Herring. The Senator then prepared a bill that would give the Federal Communications Commission permission to pass on every radi... ...er an entire generation of people living inside a world of electronic and neural connections. No more time wasted on the ever so slow method of physical interactions to achieve communications. A world where rumors are made in split second decisions. Like the Oklahoma City bombing being connected to the Waco tragedy and Ruby Ridge. Some of these conspiracy theories have even been acknowledged within the white house. This artificial life we've created might not be the robot many imagined back in the fifty's, but there is definitely signs of life within this infinite tree of brain matter and optical cables. Whether it be a nuclear attack or gas from Mars information will always cause a reaction to every action. I believe that the future has yet to take place and nothing is foretold, therefore anything is possible.

Classroom Motivational Strategies Essay examples -- Education

I would like to discuss some of the motivational strategies that I will be using in my classroom. The motivational strategy that I will discuss is student self-efficacy. According to (Schunk, 1991) Self- Efficacy Theory refers to an individual ‘s judgment of his or her capabilities to perform given actions. Students are more likely to be motivated to attempt tasks in which they believe they will be successful, it is essential for us as teachers to provide tasks at the correct level of difficulty and help students to develop appropriate expectation for success. Experiences of failure may lead students to have a low perception of self-efficacy, and they in turn , are likely to reduce their effort on academic tasks and lose their motivation. However, if students already possess a high level perception of self efficacy their sense of self-efficacy won’t be affected easily by failure. (Richardson, 2010). According to Bandura perceived efficacy determines how much effort people are willing to put into an activity as well as how long they will persevere in the face of obstacles. It is known that high self-efficacy and improved performance results when students: 1. are taught to use specific learning strategies which increase attention to the task, 2. adopt short –term over long-term goals and 3. Receive performance contingent rewards as opposed to reinforcement for just engaging in a task. All these instructional manipulations are assumed to increase the belief that â€Å"I can do it, â€Å" which then increases both effort and achievement.(Richardson, 2010) Student’s self-efficacy or beliefs about whether they will be successful on a given task are a powerful predictor of their choice, effort, and persistence... ...ls displayed higher motivation (rate of problem solving)during instruction than did children who did not observe a model. Schunk and Hanson (1985) expected that their low- achieving subjects would identify more closely with the peer coping models. (H.Schunk, 1991) This activity had a positive effect on my students. They were able to successfully improve their reading fluency by engaging in this activity. The students were able to realize that with practice, positive reinforcement and support (enactive mastery) that they can improve their reading. The students were also able to discover that by watching their peer model correct reading that they can also do the same thing. (vicarious experiences) The student self –efficacy, self- worth, and self- esteem was enhanced by being able to go to the various class and present their Reader’s Theater.

Second Foundation 3. Two Men and a Peasant

Rossem is one of those marginal worlds usually neglected in Galactic history and scarcely ever obtruding itself upon the notice of men of the myriad happier planets. In the latter days of the Galactic Empire, a few political prisoners had inhabited its wastes, while an observatory and a small Naval garrison served to keep it from complete desertion. Later, in the evil days of strife, even before the time of Hari Seldon, the weaker sort of men, tired of the periodic decades of insecurity and danger; weary of sacked planets and a ghostly succession of ephemeral emperors making their way to the Purple for a few wicked, fruitless years – these men fled the populated centers and sought shelter in the barren nooks of the Galaxy. Along the chilly wastes of Rossem, villages huddled. Its sun was a small ruddy niggard that clutched its dribble of heat to itself, while snow beat thinly down for nine months of the year. The tough native grain lay dormant in the soil those snow-filled months, then grew and ripened in almost panic speed, when the sun's reluctant radiation brought the temperature to nearly fifty. Small, goatlike animals cropped the grasslands, kicking the thin snow aside with tiny, tri-hooved feet. The men of Rossem had, thus, their bread and their milk – and when they could spare an animal – even their meat. The darkly ominous forests that gnarled their way over half of the equatorial region of the planet supplied a tough, fine-grained wood for housing. This wood, together with certain furs and minerals, was even worth exporting, and the ships of the Empire came at times and brought in exchange farm machinery, atomic heaters, even televisor sets. The last was not really incongruous, for the long winter imposed a lonely hibernation upon the peasant. Imperial history flowed past the peasants of Rossem. The trading ships might bring news in impatient spurts; occasionally new fugitives would arrive – at one time, a relatively large group arrived in a body and remained – and these usually had news of the Galaxy. It was then that the Rossemites learned of sweeping battles and decimated populations or of tyrannical emperors and rebellious viceroys. And they would sigh and shake their heads, and draw their fur collars closer about their bearded faces as they sat about the village square in the weak sun and philosophized on the evil of men. Then after a while, no trading ships arrived at all, and life grew harder. Supplies of foreign, soft food, of tobacco, of machinery stopped. Vague word from scraps gathered on the televisor brought increasingly disturbing news. And finally it spread that Trantor had been sacked. The great capital world of all the Galaxy, the splendid, storied, unapproachable and incomparable home of the emperors had been despoiled and ruined and brought to utter destruction. It was something inconceivable, and to many of the peasants of Rossem, scratching away at their fields, it might well seem that the end of the Galaxy was at hand. And then one day not unlike other days a ship arrived again. The old men of each village nodded wisely and lifted their old eyelids to whisper that thus it had been in their father's time – but it wasn't, quite. This ship was not an Imperial ship. The glowing Spaceship-and-Sun of the Empire was missing from its prow. It was a stubby affair made of scraps of older ships – and the men within called themselves soldiers of Tazenda. The peasants were confused. They had not heard of Tazenda, but they greeted the soldiers nevertheless in the traditional fashion of hospitality. The newcomers inquired closely as to the nature of the planet, the number of its inhabitants, the number of its cities – a word mistaken by the peasants to mean â€Å"villages† to the confusion of all concerned – its type of economy and so on. Other ships came and proclamations were issued all over the world that Tazenda was now the ruling world, that tax-collecting stations would be established girdling the equator – the inhabited region – that percentages of grain and furs according to certain numerical formulae would be collected annually. The Rossemites had blinked solemnly, uncertain of the word â€Å"taxes.† When collection time came, many had paid, or had stood by in confusion while the uniformed, other-wordlings loaded the harvested corn and the pelts on to the broad ground-cars. Here and there indignant peasants banded together and brought out ancient hunting weapons – but of this nothing ever came. Grumblingly they had disbanded when the men of Tazenda came and with dismay watched their hard struggle for existence become harder. But a new equilibrium was reached. The Tazendian governor lived dourly in the village of Gentri, from which all Rossemites were barred. He and the officials under him were dim otherworld beings that rarely impinged on the Rossemite ken. The tax-farmers, Rossemites in the employ of Tazenda, came periodically, but they were creatures of custom now – and the peasant had learned how to hide his grain and drive his cattle into the forest, and refrain from having his hut appear too ostentatiously prosperous. Then with a dull, uncomprehending expression he would greet all sharp questioning as to his assets by merely pointing at what they could see. Even that grew less, and taxes decreased, almost as If Tazenda wearied of extorting pennies from such a world. Trading sprang up and perhaps Tazenda found that more profitable. The men of Rossem no longer received in exchange the polished creations of the Empire, but even Tazendian machines and Tazendian food was better than the native stuff. And there were clothes for the women of other than gray home-spun, which was a very important thing. So once again, Galactic history glided past peacefully enough, and the peasants scrabbIed life out of the hard soil. Narovi blew into his beard as he stepped out of his cottage. The first snows were sifting across the hard ground and the sky was a dull, overcast pink. He squinted carefully upward and decided that no real storm was in sight. He could travel to Gentri without much trouble and get rid of his surplus grain in return for enough canned foods to last the winter. He roared back through the door, which he opened a crack for the purpose: â€Å"Has the car been fed its fuel, yunker?† A voice shouted from within, and then Narovi's oldest son, his short, red beard not yet completely outgrown its boyish sparseness, joined him. â€Å"The car,† he said, sullenly, â€Å"is fueled and rides well, but for the bad condition of the axles. For that I am of no blame. I have told you it needs expert repairs.† The old man stepped back and surveyed his son through lowering eyebrows, then thrust his hairy chin outward: â€Å"And is the fault mine? Where and in what manner may I achieve expert repairs? Has the harvest then been anything but scanty for five years? Have my herds escaped the pest? Have the pelts climbed of themselves-â€Å" â€Å"Narovi!† The well-known voice from within stopped him in mid-word. He grumbled, â€Å"Well, well – and now your mother must insert herself into the affairs of a father and his son. Bring out the car, and see to it that the storage trailers are securely attached.† He pounded his gloved hands together, and looked upward again. The dimly-ruddy clouds were gathering and the gray sky that showed in the rifts bore no warmth. The sun was hidden. He was at the point of looking away, when his dropping eyes caught and his finger almost automatically rose on high while his mouth fell open in a shout, in complete disregard of the cold air. â€Å"Wife,† he called vigorously, â€Å"Old woman – come here.† An indignant head appeared at a window. The woman's eyes followed his finger, gaped. With a cry, she dashed down the wooden stairs, snatching up an old wrap and a square of linen as she went. She emerged with the linen wrapped insecurely over her head and ears, and the wrap dangling from her shoulders. She snuffled: â€Å"It is a ship from outer space.† And Narovi remarked impatiently: â€Å"And what else could it be? We have visitors, old woman, visitors!† The ship was sinking slowly to a landing on the bare frozen field in the northern portions of Narovi's farm. â€Å"But what shall we do?† gasped the woman. â€Å"Can we offer these people hospitality? Is the dirt floor of our hovel to be theirs and the pickings of last week's hoecake?† â€Å"Shall they then go to our neighbors?† Narovi purpled past the crimson induced by the cold and his arms in their sleek fur covering lunged out and seized the woman's brawny shoulders. â€Å"Wife of my soul,† he purred, â€Å"you will take the two chairs from our room downstairs; you will see that a fat youngling is slaughtered and roasted with tubers; you will bake a fresh hoecake. I go now to greet these men of power from outer space†¦ and†¦ and-† He paused, placed his great cap awry, and scratched hesitantly. â€Å"Yes, I shall bring my jug of brewed grain as well. Hearty drink is pleasant.† The woman's mouth had flapped idly during this speech. Nothing came out. And when that stage passed, it was only a discordant screech that issued. Narovi lifted a finger, â€Å"Old woman, what was it the village Elders said a se'nnight since? Eh? Stir your memory. The Elders went from farm to farm – themselves! Imagine the importance of it! – to ask us that should any ships from outer space land, they were to be informed immediately on the orders of the governor. â€Å"And now shall I not seize the opportunity to win into the good graces of those in power? Regard that ship. Have you ever seen its like? These men from the outer worlds are rich, great. The governor himself sends such urgent messages concerning them that the Elders walk from farm to farm in the cooling weather. Perhaps the message is sent throughout all Rossem that these men are greatly desired by the Lords of Tazenda – and it is on my farm that they are landing.† He fairly hopped for anxiety, â€Å"The proper hospitality now – the mention of my name to the governor – and what may not be ours?† His wife was suddenly aware of the cold biting through her thin house-clothing. She leaped towards the door, shouting over her shoulders, â€Å"Leave then quickly.† But she was speaking to a man who was even then racing towards the segment of the horizon against which the ship sank. *** Neither the cold of the world, nor its bleak, empty spaces worried General Han Pritcher. Nor the poverty of their surroundings, nor the perspiring peasant himself. What did bother him was the question of the wisdom of their tactics? He and Channis were alone here. The ship, left in space, could take care of itself in ordinary circumstances, but still, he felt unsafe. It was Channis, of course, who was responsible for this move. He looked across at the young man and caught him winking cheerfully at the gap in the furred partition, in which a woman's peeping eyes and gaping mouth momentarily appeared. Channis, at least, seemed completely at ease. That fact Pritcher savored with a vinegary satisfaction. His game had not much longer to proceed exactly as he wished it. Yet, meanwhile their wrist ultrawave sender-receivers were their only connection with the ship. And then the peasant host smiled enormously and bobbed his head several times and said in a voice oily with respect, â€Å"Noble Lords, I crave leave to tell you that my eldest son – a good, worthy lad whom my poverty prevents from educating as his wisdom deserves – has informed me that the Elders will arrive soon. I trust your stay here has been as pleasant as my humble means – for I am poverty-stricken, though a hard-working, honest, and humble farmer, as anyone here will tell you – could afford.† â€Å"Elders?† said Channis, lightly. â€Å"The chief men of the region here?† â€Å"So they are, Noble Lords, and honest, worthy men all of them, for our entire village is known throughout Rossem as a just and righteous spot – though living is hard and the returns of the fields and forests meager. Perhaps you will mention to the Elders, Noble Lords, of my respect and honor for travelers and it may happen that they will request a new motor wagon for our household as the old one can scarcely creep and upon the remnant of it depends our livelihood.† He looked humbly eager and Han Pritcher nodded with the properly aloof condescension required of the role of â€Å"Noble, Lords† bestowed upon them. â€Å"A report of your hospitality shall reach the ears of your Elders.† Pritcher seized the next moments of isolation to speak to the apparently half-sleeping Channis. â€Å"I am not particularly fond of this meeting of the Elders,† he said. â€Å"Have you any thoughts on the subject?† Channis seemed surprised. â€Å"No. What worries you?† â€Å"It seems we have better things to do than to become conspicuous here.' Channis spoke hastily, in a low monotoned voice: â€Å"It may be necessary to risk becoming conspicuous in our next moves. We won't find the type of men we want, Pritcher, by simply reaching out a hand into a dark bag and groping. Men who rule by tricks of the mind need not necessarily be men in obvious power. In the first place, the psychologists of the Second Foundation are probably a very small minority of the total population, just as on your own First Foundation, the technicians and scientists formed a minority. The ordinary inhabitants are probably just that – very ordinary. The psychologists may even be well hidden, and the men in the apparently ruling position, may honestly think they are the true masters. Our solution to that problem may be found here on this frozen lump of a planet.† â€Å"I don't follow that at all.† â€Å"Why, see here, it's obvious enough. Tazenda is probably a huge world of millions or hundreds of millions. How could we identify the psychologists among them and be able to report truly to the Mule that we have located the Second Foundation? But here, on this tiny peasant world and subject planet, an the Tazendian rulers, our host informs us, are concentrated in their chief village of Gentri. There may be only a few hundred of them there, Pritcher, and among them must be one or more of the men of the Second Foundation. We will go there eventually, but let us see the Elders first – it's a logical step on the way.† They drew apart easily, as their black-bearded host tumbled into the room again, obviously agitated. â€Å"Noble Lords, the Elders are arriving. I crave leave to beg you once more to mention a word, perhaps, on my behalf-† He almost bent double in a paroxysm of fawning. â€Å"We shall certainly remember you,† said Channis. â€Å"Are these your Elders?† They apparently were. There were three. One approached. He bowed with a dignified respect and said: â€Å"We are honored. Transportation has been provided, Respected sirs, and we hope for the pleasure of your company at our Meeting Hall.† Third Interlude The First Speaker gazed wistfully at the night sky. Wispy clouds scudded across the faint stargleams. Space looked actively hostile. It was cold and awful at best but now it contained that strange creature, the Mule, and the very content seemed to darken and thicken it into ominous threat. The meeting was over. It had not been long. There had been the doubts and questionings inspired by the difficult mathematical problem of dealing with a mental mutant of uncertain makeup. All the extreme permutations had had to be considered. Were they even yet certain? Somewhere in this region of space – within reaching distance as Galactic spaces go – was the Mule. What would he do? It was easy enough to handle his men. They reacted – and were reacting – according to plan. But what of the Mule himself?

Great Talkers Little Doers

In addition to commercial advertising and ideological propagandathere is social advertising, which refers to the advertisements whichdeal with social causes and are aimed at the welfare and well-being of the people. Its target audience is not specific class but the masses whocan be educated about socially relevant issues like health, familywelfare, literacy, national security, to mention a few issues only. Theimportance of such advertisements has reached such heights thateven the government falls back upon them quite often to highlight theissues to immediate concern.Undoubtedly, in today’s context, carryingout campaigns through social communication is of paramountimportance. The society, the economy, the politics and the mediaexposure are bringing about changes which are so radical and dynamicthat they are creating dissonance and upheavals. In order to withstandthe negative effects of changes, we certainly need these kinds of campaigns through advertising or propaganda, for su stainingcommunication with the masses at large. In short, advertising not onlyinfluences the buyer’s perception but also his responses to socialproblems.It has its negative effects but the positive side far out-stripsthe negative side. WE TALK MORE, WORK LESS Undeniably, there are millions of people in India who think little,act even less but talk too much. Indulgence in idle gossip, disgruntledattitudes, bitter criticism of all and sundry, frustration over their sorryplight, fate and â€Å"kismat†, have in fact become national pastimes. Thenumber of those who can claim that they keep their tongue within theirlips and never talk in vain is limited. The talk of the common people,mostly irresponsible, creates the impression that they have little to do.Indians are indeed typical of the people of the Orient who have nothingworthwhile to say, and yet contrive to spend the longest time in sayingit. Those who have endless time on their hands are great babblers. Thinking and r eflection postulate a certain degree of education andintellectual development. About 64 per cent of the people in India areilliterate; so they have not developed the qualities of thinking andreflection. Montesquieu truly said that the less men think, the morethey talk. India is a land of myriad tongues. The 1961 census listed1652 languages as mother tongues spoken in India, and the 1971census, retaining he number, presented a somewhat more realisticpicture. Judged by any standard, India is Babel of tongues, perhaps thelargest in the world. This Babel has been the outcome of a cumulative process resulting from the influx of various races into the countrythrough the centuries. Talkers are never good doers; this explains theproverbial sloth, idleness and complacency of the average Indian. Ourmaterial output, our productivity and production, our net contributionto the country’s Gross National Product (GNP) are all far too low.Whilepeople should learn to use their hands and to be active all the time(like the Japanese who have raised their country to the pinnacle of glory despite the havoc done to their economy during World War II), wehave mastered the technique of whiling away time talking and talking,doing little positive, constructive and concrete work. Jawaharlal Nehru, in a speech way back in 1952, said he wastired of people who merely talk about various things. However wise youmay be (in India the number of truly wise, sagacious men and womenis limited), he said, you can never enter into the spirit of a thing if youonly talk about it and do nothing.We do not know the value of time; sowe do not mind spending precious hours in idle gossip. In part thedisinclination to be up and doing all the time is the result of ourfatalistic beliefs and attitudes. Most of us tend to believe that what Godhas ordained cannot be averted. What will be, will be; so, they argue,why needlessly waste energy in thwarting God’s will? Besides, there are many among us who be lieve that flattery isthe shortest route to success in today’s India. The great talkers, thewily, garrulous politicians who sway audiences through their loud talk,all manage to mislead the people and promote their selfish ends.Aflatterer is in the excellent company of imitators because imitation isconsidered the sincerest form of flattery. The easiest weapon adoptedby flatterers and sycophants is smooth talk, not work. A ready and glibtongue has at times proved to be a more precious weapon than gifts of cash and kind. Through a facile tongue the flatterers continually createillusions and a world of make-believe. Almost all great talkers are greatflatterers; praise inevitably becomes their forte. Then there are those hose talk mostly comprises advice to alland sundry on everything on earth. Like air and water, advice too canbe had free. Self-appointed advisers are great talkers; they talk theirway into your hearts and they even drive away rationality, good senseand the quality of discriminating between chalk and cheese. Asking foradvice is to tout for flatterers. And flattery feeds the ego and isexhilarating. Most talkers become bores. But let it be said in defense of the growing tribe of talkers that they do manage at times to relieveboredom.A quiet gathering at which all those present are serious-minded people deeply engrossed in thought and philosophy wouldappear to maintain the silence of the graveyard. The talkers relatefunny incidents, describe lively experiences and entertain theircredulous listeners, quieten and comfort the people, for hours together. There is no tax on talk and gossip. So the idle, endless talker flourishesat the cost of the silent, constructive worker. It is the latter who canhelp ensure national progress, not the ceaseless twisters of the tongue,even though the latter manage to find credulous audiences.True,sincere and genuine workers cannot stand non-sensical postures,including nonsense talk. But work does not lie in marching up anddown the streets, shouting slogans and lodging protests. Many of ustend to resort to strikes and work stoppages. Undeniably, our future amongst nations, and the good name of our country, depends entirely upon our work and work alone. Muchvaluable work can be done silently and without becoming noisy orindulging in aimless talk. If everyone realises the truth of this dictum,the salvation of the country would not be far off