Narrative Writing Assessment Essay

Warm up the prompt by reading something short, such as a picture book, that matches the prompt. †¢ The prompt is to be â€Å"loose†, that is the student can write on any subject that comes to mind, tweaking the prompt to fit him/her. †¢ The mode of the piece is narrative. This simply means a personal experience. †¢ The maximum time to write is 30 minutes. When the student is finished, proceed with other assessments or share the pieces you wrote to one another. †¢ The teacher writes as well. This encourages and motivates the student, showing him/her you value the writing †¢ This piece is to be an â€Å"on-demand† piece. This means that the writer is not to recopy. It is expected to be a rough draft. †¢ Provide composition paper with lines, or use the spiral and tear the paper out. You can cut off the messy ripped paper along the side if you want later. †¢ The primary â€Å"topics† to use are subjects many authors write about: a favorite person, place or thing. Writers usually tell about their favorite using the narrative mode because the narrative, a true story that follows a story line, is more interesting. Narrative Writing Assessment Protocols Picture Books Matching the Topics: Place All the Places to Love (MacLachlan) If You’re Not from the Prairie (Bouchard) The Canoe (Gary Paulsen) Person My Rotten Redheaded Brother (Palocco) Thank You Mr. Falker (Palocco) My Great Aunt Arizona (Houston) Thing (can be an object or a pet) My Grandpa Was a Cowboy (the ring—Silky Sullivan) The Worry Stone (Dengler). Everybody Needs a Rock (Baylor) What to say: â€Å"Today we are going to write a narrative about something–anything—that matters to you or comes to your mind about a favorite person, place or thing. Tell your piece like a story, that is, something happens. When we were younger, all of us have had something or someone or someplace that comes to mind that stands out. Which would you like to write about? (Show the student the three books, one on a favorite person, one a place, etc. The student selects. ) Pick a favorite to write about: person, place or thing. I’ll read you the picture book you pick to help stimulate some ideas. † Scoring Protocols: †¢ Use the â€Å"3† anchor papers for each grade from third through twelfth to find a match between the anchor and your student’s writing. This is holistic scoring. Record the grade and date. †¢ Count by estimating the number of words the student wrote. Record. †¢ Record how many minutes he/she wrote. †¢ Find two or three things that are strengths to use as specific reinforcements to share with the student the next day. What you notice and show to the student will be repeated in future writing.

How to Improve Physical Fitness Essay

The first step in getting fit is commitment. It’s not only the hardest step; it’s also the most important. You have to be committed to everything you do if you don’t then you end up giving up. So you have to be committed to losing weight and if you are you will get results. People all the time have attempted to be more fit, but have lack of commitment so their result is nothing. I can’t stress this enough if you want to be fit the first step has to be commitment. Step two in becoming physically fit is finding a good workout plan that is best for you. Not everyone is the same, people are different, and so it’s only logical that they have different exercise plans too. Don’t start off doing weight that you’re not comfortable with, or even with running don’t start sprinting. Start slow and work your way up to what you’re capable of doing then keep doing it. Also knowing what you’re trying to accomplish in physical fitness has a factor in helping you come up with your work out plan. Step three in becoming physically fit is eating healthy. Eating healthier is a major when it comes to physical fitness because your body has to be able to keep up with you when you push yourself. Another issue in this world is people aren’t eating right, and they’re eating habits are bad. Coming up with a diet is a great way to organize everything so you have no issues with your eating habits and knowing what you can and can’t eat. If you eat healthier it will improve your physical fitness, because you’ll have more energy to do activities. Being active every day is healthy and can change your life. If you want to be more fit it all starts with commitment, because you have to be committed to change for you to make that change happen. Not all people are the same, it’s the truth you aren’t capable of doing things others can but that doesn’t mean you’re lower than them. Start off slow and work up to be the best that you can be, and never give up. Come up with your own work out plan that best fits you. Having your own work out plan will help you with knowing what you have to do every day. Eat healthy, come up with a diet that you can work with, quit the junk food and bad habits so you feel like a better person and have more energy. All these steps will help you to be physically fit.

Barriers in Communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Barriers in Communication - Essay Example These set of barriers refers to the environmental elements that hinder individuals’ ability to convey and/or receive information as originally intended. The fact of the matter is that communication messages, however skillfully imparted, are at the mercy of a barrage of physical blocks that includes faulty communication gadgets, noise, distances between the sender and the receiver, the speaker’s mannerisms, time, climate, the listeners’ sitting posture, drop-in visitors, walls, among many more physical factors (Keyton, 2011). Noteworthy, some of the physical distractions can be anticipated, and thus can be eliminated through appropriate timing and/or choosing suitable surrounding devoid of such distractions. Early preparations which include but not limited to finding a setting that permits concentration on message delivery, removing/turning off gargets such as cell phones in the presentation vicinity, ensuring speakers/microphones are properly working for audible sounds, making prior sitting arrangements, and respecting boundaries of others by not interrupting while they speak, are but a few tips of overcoming physical barriers to communication (Wood 2010). The semantic barrier in communication simply refers to the usage of words or word-combinations that have more than single meanings, which are subsequently taken out of context by the receiver (Lunenburg, 2010). Accuracy of messages conveyed is related to the connotative and denotative meanings of words; for words, depending on circumstances, may mean different things to different people. Executing communication free from language barriers demands proper communication skills; that is, first assessing the language and communication needs of the target audience and subsequently being sensitive to their points of view. Use of direct, simple, common and popular vocabulary away from

Paradise Lost by John Milton term paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words - 1

Paradise Lost by John Milton term paper - Essay Example venge over this, Satan or the Lucifer, in other words, decided to bring the downfall of man by making them to eat the forbidden fruit in the Paradise or the Garden of Eden. Consequently, one may have the temptation not to believe in Christianity by basing on the reason on what could make God allow Serpent to revenge on His creation (God) if He truly loved them. The story of the Paradise begins from hell where both the Lucifer and his followers recover from the defeat after losing the battle initially in the war they had with God. For example, they constructed a monument that they referred to the Pandemonium where they were weighing the options of making a return to battle or just to forfeit it by accepting the defeat. Consequently, they also had the considerations of exploring the new world contained in the prophesies of creation for effecting the safe infliction of their planned revenge against mankind. As a way of enforcing their mission with full force, Satan decided to undertake the task alone minus engaging his followers. He feared that his followers might suffer extreme damage or run away from him during the battle (Driven, 45). At the onset of the mission, Satan met with his offspring who were the Death and the Sin. Thereafter, they unbarred the gates for him. Satan proceeded with his journey to the chaos until he ensured that he ha s the visualization of the Universe floating next to the globe that was the heaven. Through this instance, God predicted the fall of man when He saw Satan moving in the world. In consequence, Gods son who was at His right hand decided to sacrifice himself for the purpose of saving the mankind from the wrath of destruction by Satan. However, Satan still managed to maneuver his ways into the new universe where he flew to the sun and proceeded to trick angel, Uriel into showing the direction leading to the home of the man. After the guidance to the way to the home of the man by the deceived angel Uriel, Satan managed his ways into

Macroeconomic Coursework Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Macroeconomic Coursework - Essay Example In other words what macroeconomic theoretical models seek to accomplish by way of controlling or stimulating variables such as inflation or/and growth are sought to be accomplished in a more articulate manner by these representative agent models. Representative agent models are in fact some efforts of economists to model and represent the macro economy as if it were a single unit. These representative agent models are based on the basic tenets of the original models. On the other hand stimulative fiscal policy measures are adopted by governments in response to recessions or economic downturns. A recession, defined as two consecutive quarters of negative Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth in a year, can be partially or wholly reversed by using a combination of macroeconomic measures or solutions such as fiscal or/and monetary policy measures. At least this is the belief among economists though there can be a lot of arguments to prove that it cannot be done as easily as it’s proposed. Representative agent models would necessarily require that some very stringent assumptions are satisfied before the model is adopted so that outcomes could be predicted with a degree of certainty. Thus all representative agent models based on classical/neoclassical, Keneysian/neo-Keneysian and monetary theories assume that fiscal stimulus programs could effectively boost economic growth during a recession or an economic downturn. However, those assumptions that they require as essential pre-conditions might be very difficult to fulfill though. Fiscal policy involves budgetary measures in which the government carries through a deficit budget in order to stimulate the economy by charging lower corporate taxes. In other words fiscal revenue in the given fiscal year will be less than government expenditure on projects. These projects are naturalluy intended to stimulate spending and subsequent economic growth (Ertl, 2008). When the government spends more than what it

Assess the impact of re-introducing rent control on the market for Essay

Assess the impact of re-introducing rent control on the market for housing - Essay Example However, these challenges did not last for long as the abolishment of the controls and execution of short-hold tenancy resulted to a rejuvenation of the private rented sector that continues to develop even today. Essentially, critics such as George Osborne and Assar have a rational foundation to their arguments, as most people would agree that setting prices lower than those the property owners would charge could make the economy less appealing, especially for the investors (Sloman&Garrat, 2012). However, the are other influences of rent control different from the common observation and conception that elimination of the controls is more efficient as it could provide a more desirable housing market for potential investors. Rent controls and any adjustments to the tenure legislations could influence the housing market in multiple ways but there is always a risk of overlooking other essential aspects that also have considerable effects on the development of the economy. Relative to a glance on history, instigated rent controls in the United Kingdom varied from a straightforward freeze during the world wars to fair rents regimes in the sixties aimed at removing the impact of scarcity in the ren tal market. The initial step was an increase of Rent and Mortgage Interest Act of 1915 limiting rents for unfurnished homes (for the working class) to specific levels at the beginning of the war in 1914(Glaeser&Luttmer, 2003). Typically, the regulation of rent in the United Kingdom has had vast challenges in the past even with the main objective revolving around ideas such as advocating for affordability. Moreover, the short-range act introduced prior to the World War 1, mysteriously managed to be in place up to the late 1980s making people more alert of proposals such as the one by the Labor Party. Resolutely, this essay focuses on explicating effects of re-introducing rent control on the market for housing based

Corporate Governance Dilemma Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Corporate Governance Dilemma - Essay Example The ‘shareholding’ paradigm involved the maximization of shareholders’ value while the ‘stakeholding’ paradigm involved satisfaction of stakeholders’ interests. This created the conceptual dichotomy over ‘individual liberty’ and ‘justice for everyone’ when making important business decisions (Sullivan and Conlon, 1997). A prime example of this decision making model is the successful multinational furniture manufacturer Ikea (IKEA, 2012) . While starting as a small family business in Sweden, it gradually became the world’s largest home furnishing retailer with a reputation of low prices and novel design. The company’s internal costs were attributed to the fact most of the products were manufactured in factories from Asian and eastern European countries. However, in early 1998 a scandal ensued stating that Ikea was tolerating appalling working conditions in its suppliers’ factories in Eastern Eur ope and quickly signed an agreement that would stop exploitation of the workers. Later that year, a TV documentary was shown depicting images of child labour and unhealthy working conditions in factories in India producing IKEA textiles and garments causing uproar in Sweden. Despite the subsequent debates and campaigns from the Socialist Party (SP), the company failed to acknowledge the problem and refused inspection by third parties. Ikea also didn’t adopt the Rugmark foundation label, which validated the eradication of child labour and was already adopted by many companies at that time. Customer complaints in the following year ensued and yellow cards were signed but in response the company still claimed that it would take measures for child labour but didn’t satisfy the SP’s demands for proper control. This in turn caused the intensification of the campaigns spreading to other European countries like Austria and Belgium, ultimately leading to the signing of 5 3.300 red cards on the 3rd of June 1999 which banned the purchase of any Indian rugs or textiles from Ikea. The result was the compliance of Ikea on the 7th of July 1999 with the terms of the SP, which involved stronger measures against child labour and hiring a third party firm to evaluate the process. Ikea also adopted a code of conduct in September 2000, called ‘The Ikea Way of Purchasing Home Furnishing Products’ (IWAY), clearly stating against forced labour and hazardous work conditions (IKEA, 2012). On one hand, Ikea’s practices displayed a non-professional approach to the company’s problems which was the cause of the subsequent campaigns and product sales ban. The denial of the problem’s existence significantly damaged company’s consumer market by raising questions and awareness of the manufacturing processes of the products. Additionally, the failure of taking initiatives and allowing third party evaluation, raised criticisms for ot her practices such as tax evasion, further damaging its reputation. The image of a child-friendly reputation was critically damaged which might affected the sales and market expansion of the company. On the other hand, despite the delayed response from Ikea, various initiatives were taken to restore the company’s image. In addition to introducing the IWAY code of conduct against forced la

Business proposal - Call center Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Business - Call center - Research Proposal Example This would provide me an insight as to what are the critical factors which have greater impact on the performance as well of the company in local as well as regional market besides studying the different threat and opportunities available to the firm to better manage its external environment including competition. This analysis will also provide me an opportunity to understand and analyze the strategies which can be used by the firm to gain the necessary competitive advantage in the markets where it works. 3. The major weaknesses of this research may include the lack of accuracy of the data. Since the data may not be directly linked to the exact environment within which the firm works therefore I would be sifting through a lot of data to find out the correct information to present it in presentable format. However, I believe it would have minor influence over my research as this research would involve an analysis of the strategic management theories and tools.

Media and Entertainment Essay Example for Free

Media and Entertainment Essay The importance and popularity of media is ever growing. Media has become indispensible in everyday life, be it personal life or business, trade or work. Conventional media like cinema, television, radio and print are modifying themselves to play their roles effectively in the current market. Technological innovations and discovery of new media like cable television, Direct To Home (DTH), Mobile Technology, Internet Podcasting and FM Radio Channels have created immense competition in the entertainment and media field. Video games and portable audio – video devices have intensified the competition. Entry of foreign TV broadcasts, 24*7 broadcasting and the exponential growth of new media call for impressive content creation for catering to every segment of the population. The escalating economic growth in India with a remarkable percentage of youth in the population who have high earning capacity and more disposable incomes and the upwardly mobile middleclass make the entertainment and media sector more promising and demanding. Profile of the current youth with lesser attention span and the easy availability of affordable entertainment have created the challenges of attracting and retaining audience and clients. Multiplex cultures, variety of entertainment choices available, profitability and potential of space-selling in media houses, embedded advertising, marriage of animation and visual technologies are all signs of the advanced state of development in media and entertainment. New Technologies and the high costs involved in production and distribution of media content have justified corporate entry into cinema production and ntertainment production. This has given â€Å"Industry Status† to this field. This paper recognises the status of entertainment and media as a powerful service sector and highlights the need for adopting unique content creation and marketing strategies for enriching and enhancing the experience of the audience and clients. Moreover, the paper identifies the potential of these services that could be exploited for the benefit of the customers as well as to promise high returns for the Investors and Media and Entertainment houses. Content Creation and Entertainment Quotient in the current Media Scenario Introduction: â€Å"And in my opinion, entertainment in its broadest sense has become a necessity rather than a luxury in the life†¦ † -Walt Disney The very purpose of human life boils down to fulfilling the humane needs which include both physical and psychological needs. Media and Entertainment is the field that caters to the psychological or cognitive needs of the media customers. The importance and popularity of media is ever growing. Media has become indispensible in everyday life, be it personal life or business, trade or work. The Media and Entertainment industry consists of the creation, aggregation and distribution of content, products and services, news and information, advertising and entertainment through various channels and platforms. Conventional media like cinema, television, radio and print are modifying themselves to play their roles effectively in the current market. Technological innovations and discovery of new media like cable television, Direct To Home (DTH), Mobile Technology, Internet Podcasting and FM Radio Channels have created immense competition in the entertainment and media field. Video games and portable audio – video devices have intensified the competition. Entry of foreign TV broadcasts, 24*7 broadcasting and the exponential growth of new media calls for impressive content creation for catering to every segment of the population. The Indian Entertainment and Media (EM) industry has outperformed the Indian economy and is one of the fastest growing sectors in India. However, the future of this industry depends largely on the growth of Indian Economy. The Indian Economy is growing at a fast rate, with increased personal income of people who are spending more on their entertainment and leisure activities. Media and Entertainment Customers: Media and entertainment customers have no inhibitions to switch over their sources of entertainment and information, if they feel that their current entertainment provider does not stand up to the mark. Winning customer confidence and support becomes all the more crucial for this industry which could create deeper impressions and have greater impact on the inerasable minds of the customers. Radio, Television, Internet, Print, Movie, Music, Novels and News Media should live up to the fantasy, expectations and requirements of the viewing, listening and reading masses, who seek these media to fulfil their individualistic needs, based on their specific lifestyles, backgrounds and mood swings. The escalating economic growth in India along with a remarkable percentage of youth in the population who have high earning capacity and more disposable incomes and the upwardly mobile middleclass make the entertainment and media industry more promising and the demand for entertainment is going to steadily see an upward trend. Profile of the current youth with lesser attention span and the easy availability of affordable entertainment have created the challenges of attracting and retaining audiences and clients. Success totally depends on how original, quick and entertaining the content offered by these media is comparatively less. In media and entertainment, only the content that provides the highest degree of gratification can win over the media customers. Media Content and Entertainment Quotient: In media production and publishing, content refers to information and experiences that may provide value for an end-user or audience. Content may be delivered via any medium such as the internet, television, audio CDs, cinema, newspapers and magazines as well as live events such as conferences, stage performances and interactive audio video platforms. â€Å"Content† is the word used to identify and quantify various formats and genres of information as manageable value-adding components of media. Entertainment Quotient is the degree of gratification the customers receive or experience through the content provided by Media. Better the quality of content provided, higher will be the degree of gratification experienced. Hence, media content and entertainment quotient are directly related to each other. Media Production and delivery technology potentially enhances the value of content by formatting, filtering and combining original sources of content for new audience with new contexts. Media must understand its responsibility to spread optimism and hope in all aspects of life, especially during times of natural disasters like floods, tsunami, earth-quakes or man-made disasters like terrorist attacks, economic meltdowns, political crisis or any such critical situation apart from its vital role in offering information, education and entertainment. It is very essential for media to realize that its content on such events are just not a focus on the problems, but on the possible ways for prohibition, prevention and rescue. The fact that media can and should make such shift is reflective of its evolution globally. Content provided by media should be of value, relevance and provide entertainment to the ultimate customers. Contemporary Role of Media and Entertainment: Media is changing from being an informer to being a companion. Right from children to elders, people of all ages and classes have something to look for in all the media. All have started looking at media, be it the television, radio, newspaper or the internet as a source of not only entertainment, but also as a source of knowledge and exposure. Media have got themselves into the roles of friend, philosopher and guide and recently as an activist. This being the status, there is a vital need for the highest quality of the content that are provided by these media to be at par with the expectations of all segments of audience and provide high entertainment quotient to them. In many areas, media content is already playing a very active role in providing prescriptions to consumers. From being just a provider of news, the media today is a source of knowledge and offers forums of interaction where consumers can seek advice on health, beauty, home care, decor, travel etc. All these play a major role for their life style changes, and hence we have a majority of the people following a commonly seen style and changed culture. The viewer becomes the consumer who modifies his or her life to go with the characters portrayed by them. Audio-visual medium do have a salutary impact on the knowledge, attitude and acceptance of the viewers. Media do influence people as much as home, neighbourhood, peers in school / college / office etc. The Media and Entertainment industry is moving from the well known status of Mass Media to Mass-personal Media. Future of Indian Media and Entertainment Industry: The FM radio sector was opened up for foreign investment with 20 percent FDI being allowed. As a result the radio sector is expanding rapidly with forecasted growth rates of 32 percent per annum. In the print media segment, 100 percent FDI is now allowed for non-news publications and 26 percent FDI is allowed for news publications. Internet advertising is expected to go up from one percent to three percent of the total Media and Entertainment revenues by 2014. Music and Gaming are expected to grow at 32 percent in the next five years. With multiplex culture, watching film has become a status symbol. Television is witnessing a steady in growth and is likely to go further in future. Indian Television market is likely to grow at an average annual rate of 16% to reach 46,922 crore rupees by 2012. The historical data and the current trend in media industry imply a definite surge of demand and healthier competition in the days to come. Exciting new developments in the technologies used in this industry are taking place. Animation, Multiplexes, new distribution channels and the use of Internet are redefining the entertainment industry. All these factors will favour further growth of this industry in India. India is poised to enter the period of immense growth in this industry. Strategies for Success in Media and Entertainment Industry: The Mantra for attracting and retaining audience for all media is â€Å"provide quality content and increase the entertainment quotient†. Updated, contemporary, relevant, creative and informative content can take the media a long way. This is the basis for establishing, surviving, growing and conquering in the dynamic media industry. Competition is high and tough. The sources available for entertainment and information are many and easily accessible. This being the status, â€Å"survival of the fittest, fastest and the most creative† is the lifeline of media content at present. The challenge for communicators and marketers is to create and identify opportunities that can make the content all the more impressive. Today more and more battles are not as much for market share as for a share of the consumers’ wallet. Media consumers are very vulnerable and prone to be poached by more innovative and consistent content providers. Media products, being intangible can have only cognitive and psychological impact on their consumer. Hence, it becomes more important to provide high quality content which is much better than the competitors’ and thus ensure high entertainment quotient, which is the ultimate aim of any entertainment content. This in turn will aid in attracting, maintaining and enhancing the audience for the particular media. Further, this will ensure the growth potential of the media. Media are not averse to content tie-ups to create media multiplier effect by increasing the touch points. Media observers agree that cross-media tie-ups have become a compulsion, rather than a choice. Thus, convergence of media has become indispensible and is the most plausible route for reaching out to more audience or end-users. Mobile telephones, 3G wireless services, DTH (Direct To Home television), HDTV (High-Definition Television) and the Web, all require content to be converted to multiple formats in order to be offered to a multitude of consumers from various national, cultural, economic and social backgrounds. Media companies agree that tie-ups are not a cost-saving mechanism, rather, it is more about expanding the visibility and pooling the strengths of the two mediums. The content synergy assures prospective audience. There has also been a change in the mindset of publications, be it in print or internet or television. They have realized the importance of providing news and information to the audience, without worrying about the source. Earlier, media houses would stress exclusive reportage. Now, they are willing to give due credit to the source publication as well as the journalist. This is a welcome transition, since it is an optimistic way to reach out to the dedicated and loyal audience who seek out entertainment and information only from certain specific media which they prefer. Stereotyped, mundane and pessimistic content are likely to reduce the entertainment quotient apart from having negative impact on the audience. Ultimately, customers carry along only experiences and memories and satisfaction along with them when they make use of any media for entertainment or information. Only carefully crafted content can enhance these experiences, satisfaction levels and entertainment quotient of media consumers. Conventional cinema and television media had been providing slow paced, socially relevant content to target audience comprising of all economic strata. The amounts of money and marketing involved were small and the industry had been more of monopolistic. The scenario now is entirely different with resurgence of widescreen, stereo, surround sound and digital cinema becoming better and affordable by all. Currently, big production budgets and expensive equipments are being used as the recipe for creating quality entertainment, capable of reaching millions of audience. Especially in India, the entry of Hollywood films has created intense competitions and also has enhanced and diversified the expectations of the local viewers. Dubbing and releasing of Hollywood and other foreign movies in vernacular languages has intensified the entertainment quotient sought by the consumers. The degree of challenges in newer technology adoption, costs and risks involved are higher as far as cinema and television are concerned. Television content production venture is top venture in the media world.

FORENSIC ACCOUNTING Money Laundering and organized Finance

FORENSIC ACCOUNTING Money Laundering and organized Finance Money laundering poses a serious threat to individuals, businesses, financial systems, markets and governments as this financial crime affect the health of human beings and destruct the development of a country, for example developing countries loses billions every year to countries such a Switzerland. In the recent years White Collar crime has become the potential threat to the continued existence of capitalists economy , which now force the international and regional government begin to acknowledge that money laundering has become a threat to the global economy development, financial systems as well as to the global community. Due to the growing of organised crime such as human trafficking, drug trafficking, terrorism and tax evasion. Money laundering is believed to be the third industry by some academic researchers, with an estimated 2% to 5% of gross domestic products (GDP) of the world. This essay will also provide a literature review in order to better understand the theories of money laundering and the roles and responsibilities of professional bodies. Which also include the review of international and national policies and legislation frameworks designed to prevent money laundering? Final the finding and recommendations of this essay clearly shows evidence which suggest that professionals are vectors and advisers of money laundering, therefore, such illicit seems to be made easy by various professions who collaborate and contribute to this growing problem, in particularly the banks, professional bodies such as Auditors, Accountants and Lawyers, are argued to play a pivotal role in smoothing the progress for money launders to conceal the proceeds of their corrupt activities INTRODUCTION This study will attempt to examine the relationship between money laundering and Fraud, as well as its global network and the seriousness of these crimes effects in the global economy and the social consequences for the international community. Furthermore, put in plan words the problem of money laundering in the UK, reflecting on whether anti-money laundering laws introduced in the past decades has in some why improved the control of this criminal activity. Summers (2000), states that the observable fact of money laundering is a characteristic of organized crime with researcher and academic estimating that the money laundering generate about US$100 billion; while the British Intelligence estimated that the total amount being laundered annually is about US$500 billion..The illicit drug trade alone is estimated to generate about US$300 billion of which a significant part would require laundering; this is also supported by Wolfensohn (2002). As there are many studies that critically examine money laundering and the factors that contribute to money laundering etc, there are still few and far between studies actually looking into the factors that contribute to the increase of money laundering in developing countries and match up to whether developed countries preaching for regulations and monitoring money laundering to the rest of the world , while ignoring their contribution in promoting this complex crime in developing countries indirect and direct. Problem statement White Collar crime has become the potential threat to the continued existence of capitalists economy. Money laundering for instance is assumed to take a large portion of white collar crime global, as statistics predict that almost 5% of the world gross domestic product (GDP) is lost to money laundering each year (IMF, Website ). Research aim and objectives The primary objective of this essay is to explore and identify the level that underpins the bureaucracy of money laundering, looking at both point of views (Developed Countries perspective and developing countries point of view), and measuring the preventing of money laundering. Also as to give comment on the accuracy to whether the join combat efforts are realistic. Research methodology The present study is an attempt to explore and explain the international legal systems in combating money laundering and fraud the legal framework in the global scale. The methodology of this study will gather information from secondary sources, which are already in publication, such as academically journals, books, professional articles, the internet and any other publications (Sekaran, 1992). Furthermore, the study will make an effort to find out the relevance of the information so as to possible present appropriately, to explore some of the factors that are part of the cause to money laundering and fraud. Therefore as the study will be only based on published secondary information we will reach a conclusion that does not point toward our own opinion but the critically review of the conclusion of the previous studies in this have concluded. Assumptions made in this report As the definition of money laundering constitutes a range of dynamic criminal activities, this study make assumption that money laundering includes trafficking, fraud, corruption and terrorism as all these crimes share a common feature, which lead to proceeds of illicit being laundered in some way or another. Therefore, all these above mentioned crimes are to be money laundering for this study. Investigation Outline The first section of this essay will provide a brief introduction of the objectives and assumptions made throughout the essay, as well as attempt to introduce the research question and give an overview of the subject area. This will be followed by the second section, which reviews previous studies and the critics of the conclusions of these studies. Section three will then briefly communicate the theories of money laundering and the factors that cause money laundering developing countries, followed by a short history and the definition accepted by this essay. Section four will provide evidence found by this study and a critically suggestions. Finally section five will reach a conclusion. Literature Review In order to understand the present and future of money laundering, it is important to first give a brief explanation of the background history of its origin. According to Bosworth et al, (1994), money laundering originated in the USA during the 1930s, Despite the fact that there are several publications studies in the literature of critically examining the subject area, their point of view seem to give attention to the legal and regulatory framework, adding to analysing the stages of cash placement or analyzing causes and remedies of legislations that contribute to money laundering, however, there is little done, in other words a number of empirical studies are rather limited to study whether there is a linkage between the developing and developed countries, and if are there any lessons learned? According to a study by Wolfensohn (2002), stated that at least US$1trillion is believed to laundered every year using progressively more highly developed methods such as the wiring transfer of funds across boarders, in addition these complex methods involve employing services and advice of professionals such financial advisers and accountants (Sikka, 2003; Arnold and Sikka, 2001; Aloba, 2002; Bakre, 2007;). Mitchell et al., (1996) study exposed actions carried out by some of these professionals and companies in Accounting such as Jackson Company; Grant Thornton Partners; Coopers and Lybrand; and a cabinet minister in the UK government, who were all caught up in money laundering of illegal transferring money from AGIP to Kinz Joallier SARL. The professional body of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) was passed on with the case to investigate the professional misconduct of its members. Even though the High Court had previously dealt with the case and gave its own judgment, which found that the two Accountants who were caught up in the act of money laundering, the courts ruling stated that these professionals actually knew that their action were against the law and obviously laundering money, the Judge found them guilty, however the professional body itself (ICAEW) it appears that did not view it the same way as the Court did. Furthermore when the investig ation and disciplinary committee of the ICAEW was criticised it argued in defence that it was not provided with insufficient evidence to warrant the bringing of a disciplinary case against any of its members in this case of money laundering (see Letter of May 9, 1994). On the other hand, BCC I investigated the global closure in 1991 and uncovered a massive amount of criminal activities including money laundering in a number of countries around the world, which involved bribery of government officials, arms trafficking, the sales of nuclear technologies, the support of terrorism, tax evasion, and smuggling operations, as well as massive financial frauds (Arnold and Sikka, 2001). According to the 400 page report by Arnaud Montebourge (2001) The City is an impenetrable fortress with a status, rights and custom of its own, a closed universe where every financier, banker or businessman chooses silence above all else. The report stated that it had taken the British an extraordinary amount of time to respond to Swiss tip-offs before ordering 19 banks to freeze funds linked to former Nigerian ruler, Sanni Abacha [BBC News, October 10, 2001]. A Harvard-educated Colombian economist, Franklin Jurado, used the services of accountants to launder $36 million in profits, from US cocaine sales for the late Colombian drug lord Jose Santacruz-Londono, by wiring it out of Panama, through the offices of Merrill Lynch and other financial institutions, to Europe. In three years, he opened more than 100 accounts in 68 banks in nine countries: Austria, Denmark, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Luxembourg, and Monaco. Some of the accounts were opened in the names of Santacruzs mistresses and relatives, others under assumed European-sounding names. Keeping balances below $10,000 to avoid investigation, Jurado shifted the funds between the various accounts. He established European front companies with the eventual aim of transferring the clean money back to Colombia, to be invested in Santacruzs restaurants, construction companies, pharmacies and real estate holdings (UN, 1998) cited in Garnaut, J. (2006). According to the UN General Assembly, corrupt politicians, government officials and other criminal organizations increasingly sub-contract the task of money laundering to specialized professionals (such as accountants, lawyers and bankers) because the methods required to circumvent law enforcement officials are becoming ever more complex (see UN Special Session on the World Drug Problem 8-10 June, 1998). Professionals (such as Accountants, lawyers and bankers) are used not only to conceal the origin of the source of the proceeds, but to manage the subsequent investment into legitimate real estate and other assets. Money Laundering Introduction In anticipation of comparatively recently notion of money laundering were subjects that, although continuously reported and chattered about, were not studied to a great extent. it gives a quite out of the ordinary impression for the fact that well know crime stories such as the Medellin cartel to the notorious Al-Qaida network that have been taking place up to the September 11. Therefore, this can be arguable that beyond doubt it point out that organised crime has evolved a great deal fitting itself into a far-reaching socio-political changes, complex technological developments and diverse culture environments. According to Murilo Portugal, Deputy Managing Director of the IMF: Global financial stability hinges on collective action at the international level, but also on effective national systems. Robust anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism regimes are an important pillar of the international regulatory and supervisory system and part and parcel of the current efforts to strengthen the global financial framework.. Therefore, due to the out of the ordinary of money laundering and the new developing complexity of the techniques used by launders it is hard to keep accurate information of this sort of crime. What is Money Laundering? Although the observable fact of money laundering has taken on increase attention, from every country in the world its notion is still a controversy in the criminological phraseology. In anticipation of the concept of money laundering phrase, which has almost been talked about and documented over for the past seven decades, it is extraordinary that this subject has been given fewer research studies, regardless of the fact that organised crime has been part of the society for such a long time. Money laundering has been defined as the cover up of unlawfully get your hands on assets or proceeds so the can be then made to appear as they have been acquired in a lawfully manner. On the other hand, money laundering can mean different thing to different countries and organisation as there are variations on the definition of money laundering, nevertheless, almost certainly accepted definition that fit within the framework and the global idea intended to provide a global definition of money laundering is the one outlined (UN Organised Crime Convention). Article 6 of the convention regards the following conduct as money laundering: (i) the conversion or transfer of property, knowing that such property is the proceeds of crime, for the purpose of concealing or disguising the illicit origin of the property or of helping any person who is involved in the commission of the predicate offence to evade the legal consequences of his or her action; (ii) The concealment or disguise of the true nature, source, location, disposition, movement or ownership of or rights with respect to property, knowing that such property is the proceeds of crime; (iii) The acquisition, possession or use of property, knowing, at the time of receipt, that such property is the proceeds of crime. According to FATF, money laundering is defined as: . . . the processing of a enormous number of criminal acts to generate profit for individual or group that carries out the act with the intention to disguise their illegal origin in order to legitimize the ill gotten gains of crime. Any crime that generates significant profit extortion, drug trafficking, arms smuggling and some kind of white collar crime may create a need for money laundering (FATF). The process of money Laundering Alternatively money laundering operates in the same manner as a lawful business in terms of the financial operations. Therefore money launders in their set of business operations act upon the intention of introducing funds originated from criminal activities into the economy so that it appears legitimate. For this to be achieved funds or proceeds need to pass through a long way before it take on the appearance of a legal financial transaction. The procedures used in a money laundering process, theoretically, include three all-embracing stages known as placement, layering and integration. (I) Placement: This is the first stage in the money laundering process. It involves the introduction of the proceeds of criminal activity into the main stream financial system. This may involve the opening of bank account with genuine or fictitious names and the subsequent lodgement of funds in the account. This is the most vulnerable stage; (ii) Layering: This process involves the creation of a complex layer of financial transactions with the aim of evading the audit trail. The launderer may as well decide to purchase high valued commodities such as automobiles, jewellery, etc., and exporting to a different jurisdiction. Or better still, it may involve the purchase of shares of companies at the stock market; (iii) Integration: This stage involves the recycling of the laundered wealth to the direct benefit of the Launderer to appear as if it was derived from legitimate activity .It may involve the selling off of some valuable items which were purchased during the layering process. Causes of Money Laundering In a recent study ( cited on Ribeiro, 2002:Galvao, 2000); it is argued that money laundering causes bizarre changes, such as when the demand of money increases it also increases the risk and precariousness of the banking sector and financial systems. In addition, money laundering creates corruption, fraud, bribery, white collar crime and all other financial crimes. It is also worth contemplating whether some of the key drivers of money laundering in developing countries are due to the complexes of western regulations? According to Linell (1999), the western countries such as USA UK, approach the challenge against money laundering from a cost to benefit approach. For example the enforcement officers evaluate the cost of resources and compare it with the value of the crime in order for them to investigate; evidently this is an open door to launders to curse developing countries. Another report by Moore (2004), accuses Britain to be a safe Haven for money laundering. Moores reports fou nd fairly estimate that between  £25bn to  £40bn of dirty money is laundered in the UK each year from all over the world. This opens a question to whether globalization and technology, developed countries and professionals could be the main drivers of money laundering in developing countries (Killick, M. (2004). Globalisation and Technology To understand how increasing technology can have an adverse effect on money laundering, it is worth reflecting why the criminal considered technology as their shelter to hide their proceeds. Drawing attention to the revolutionary impact of technological advancement on organized crime, particularly money laundering as well as the concept of globalization, it is clear for one to argue that the combination of these two has deregulated the simply customs of state control over their own territory or location. There is no doubt even there is a lack of academically evidence to support this, globalization and technology has created more opportunities for criminality than it has for preventing them committing these crimes. for example, Tinker (1980), argues that globalisation has created profit generation organisations, such as the MNCs that work against the moral of local economy, particularly in developing countries. Money Laundering and the Professions in Developing Countries What is the relationship between the professionals such as the Accountants, Auditor and the Lawyers, and money laundering within the developing countries? Can their role be found been in a contradictory to be of capital accumulation ambition. According to Hoogvelt and Tinker, 1978 the money launders and the professional groups are seen as a protection of capitalism for the developed capitalist countries. For this reasons, capitalistic purpose of the Western economic powers, reflected within the formation of the multinational corporations (MNCs) as well as other overseas capitalists which produce offsprings of capitalist relations in developing countries, is arguable be the cause of contradictory placement between the corrupt ruling leaders and those you have influential powers in developing countries and the good governance, accountability and transparency-preaching Western capitalist world ( Bakre, 2005, 2006a). Wade, 1996 suggested that the alleged reason of bringing investments to developing countries is mainly based on the highly praised globalization. On the other hand, one can question whether globalisation benefits these developing countries. Hirst and Thompson, 1996, argue that this capital mobility is not in point of fact turning out a substantial shift of investment and employment from the developed countries to the developing countries. Therefore, the notion that these developed countries and globalisation would be of assistance to boast the economies of these developing countries. This seems to suggest that the MNCs and other foreign capitalists operating in foreign countries may not be relied upon to subordinate their own capitalistic interest to the interest of those countries where they operate, especially developing countries. However, the notion that the developed capitalist economies would help to jump start and boost the economies of developing countries through investments, which would eventually get rid of corruption and poverty, has been the acclaimed cornerstone of globalization ( Groom, 2001). Accountants and Auditors The external auditors, PriceWaterhouse, were in the dual position of acting as private consultants and tax advisors to the BCCI management to further their private interests, while the State was relying upon them to perform public interest functions by acting as an external monitor and independent quasi-regulator (Arnold and Sikka, 2001). For this reason, it can be argued that Britain and other western countries are still providing safe haven for money launderers and those who commit financial crimes (Moore, 2004). Another evidence is found in the document on BBC News website( ),it accuses Londons development to be clearly doing well as a result of its banking secrecy codes, which ignores the publics interest. Another example is the report by the African Business (online), which claim hundreds of billions of rand from white-collar crime have been laundered through South Africas financial system, but no convictions have yet been made (African Business, July 1, 2002). Deloitte Touchà © forensic services manager, Rupert Haw, says the global trend suggests that crime bosses earn their income in developing countries but invest it in more secure and sophisticated financial systems in developed countries (African Business, July 1, 2002) The Duty to Report Unlawful Conducts. It is obvious that for effective enforcements to tackle money laundering and fraud, the state should put in place a clear role of reporting duties for individuals and companies as well as professional boards involved in preventing. According to Masciandaro and Portolano (2003) Barret (1997), money laundering threatens the growth of the economy and the socioeconomic development of a country. Therefore, the development and robust economy can only achieved if both developing countries and developing countries put a balancing effort in combating money laundering, such as good governance and regulations that are not charlatan. From this perspective, the next following paragraphs will provides the evidence, which suggests that the developing countries and its ruling elites, public bodies, professional bodies and individuals as mentioned above are hypocrites in their role to prevent money laundering in developing countries. According to a report Hypocrisy of the developed countries and global bodies: evidences Money laundering is a global problem which significantly affects both developed and developing countries. This essay suggests that the problem should be tackled by both developed and developing countries, rather than shifting the burden on poor developing nations that have no resources to combat this global crime [Ekaette, 2002]. At the same time, readily available evidence indicates that some authorities in African countries steal government funds that are meant to serve the public and wire the money into some implicit accounts in banks in England, Switzerland, France, Germany, the USA, the Cayman Islands and Bahamas and [Agabi, 2002]. As in the case of the former Zaire (Congo) President Mabuto Seseko who was helped by the British government to win the elections in a fraudulent way. Furthermore, during is time in power it is claimed the western opportunely looked the other way and maintained their silence, while he was stealing the state money, laundering funds into overseas bank accounts (mainly Switzerland). With the continued protest from the several developing countries to those countries that function as haven for ransack funds from developing countries to assist in the recovery of the stolen funds in their banks, many of the countries, particularly the former colonial power, Britain, have refused to cooperate. While some others (such as Switzerland) have been promising to cooperate, sometimes these promises end up not being followed by these Countries. Secondly, from a developing countrys point of view, the Western countries uses criticisms of the developing countries as in the case of (Mabuto Seseko) as a means of benefiting from the issue of money laundering, while pretending to be implementing actions of the same anti-money laundering and anti-corruption preaching Western economic powers suggest hypocrisy. For example, while countries such as South Africa and Nigeria, and 28 other developing countries have so far given their support to the United Nations Convention Against Corruption, except France, all the other member countries of the so called Financial Action Task Force, FATF, that have been jointly threatening Africa countries economic sanctions, have not yet endorse the UN Conventions Against Corruption (see This Day, June 9, 2007). Moreover, it was during the 2002 meeting on the Global Organisation of Parliamentary against Corruption (GOPAC) that Australia, Canada and Italy  [1]  made pledges to set in motion machiner y to amend their banking laws to facilitate easy recovery of the developing countries looted funds in the banks in their countries [The Guardian, November 5, 2002]. Strangely enough, while countries such as USA, Britain, France, Germany, and Switzerland which serve as havens for looted funds from African countries expressed serious concern over the growing incidence of corruption especially in developing countries, such pledges were not made by any of these countries. For example in the case of , Raul Salinas de Gotari, brother of the former President of Mexico, Carlos Salinas de Gotari was able to transfer $90 million to $100 million between 1992 and 1994 by using a private banking relationship formed by Citibank New York in 1992 (see US General Accounting Office, 1999). The funds were transferred through Citibank Mexico and Citibank New York to private banking investment accounts in Citibank London and Citibank Switzerland. Yet, Britain and the United States are both powerful and leading member countries of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) that claim to be fighting money laundering globally. Conclusion Nonetheless, it is clear from available evidence shown in this essay that money laundering is one of the major challenges faced by the developing countries and if it is not tackled In time it will became the main destructive force to the economic and social development of this countries as it affect economic growth, reduces productivity in the economys real sector by diverting resources and encouraging crime and corruption, and can distort the economys long-term economic development. This essay highlighted observable facts of Money Laundering and its origins, as well as the patterns and implications it has in the developing countries. it is crucial to make a note of the hypocrites approach the western countries take, however a accurately study is recommended to effectively identify whether this claims exist. The resources against money laundering should be strengthened to ensure that the professional and MNCs wont continue to abuse the financial systems. Final Global responses to the challenges of money laundering should be tighter than at present.

Direct-Instruction Tutoring for Academic Performance

Direct-Instruction Tutoring for Academic Performance Using Direct-Instruction Tutoring to Improve Academic Performance in Out-Of-Home Care Children Social Policy Proposal Differences in academic achievement is a concept greatly studied in social psychology. There exists a cornucopia of studies investigating issues surrounding the concept with relation to gender, generational, ethnic and class differences (Gil Carvalho, 2016, Duong, Badaly, Liu, Schwartz, Mccarty, Carolyn, 2016, Stephens, Witkow Fuligni, 2011, Hamedani Destin, 2014). However, one far less studied area is the reduced educational attainment found in children placed in out-of-home care (OHC). Out-of-home care refers to children under 18 years who are unable to live with their families, often due to neglect or abuse. It involves the placement of a child in an institutional setting, or with alternate caregivers. The following proposal shall outline examples of such decreased academic performance, as well as discuss the theory of school engagement as a possible explanation. Furthermore, a solution to the issue shall be proposed with respect to a direct-instruction programme. The issue at hand is vast, with OHC children displaying a tendency to largely experience poor life outcomes when compared to children in the general population. Such disparities are visible across many psychosocial dimensions. Higher risk of teenage pregnancy and STD contraction (Dworsky Courtney, 2010), increased levels of homelessness (Brown Wilderson, 2010) and higher rates of substance abuse and mental health issues (Villegas Pecora, 2012) are all documented problems. However, this is most obvious in regards to academic achievement. OHC children often lag one or two years behind their peers in the general population (Trout, Hagaman, Casey, Reid, Epstein, 2008) and are less likely to obtain a diploma, graduate past secondary or enrol in higher education (Villegas Pecora, 2012). At Key Stage 2, 48% of children in care reached the expected academic level in English and mathematics, compared to 79% of all children. The attainment gap continues to increase as children get older: 7% of OHC children go on to attend university, compared to just over 50% of young people in the general population (OHiggins, Sebba, Luke, 2015). Such underperformance in OHC children has been found to be predictive of negative effects in the future, such as criminal convictions and self-harm (Forsman, Brà ¤nnstrà ¶ma, Vinnerljunga, Hjernb, 2016). One explanation for this disparity between OHM children and the general population can be seen in the theory of school engagement (Wang, Willett Eccles, 2011). This theory suggests that academic performance can be categorized into two dimensions of school engagement. Cognitive engagement refers to the level to which the student participates in classroom learning and their ability to regulate such effort. Cognitive engagement is often correlated with grade attainment or test performance (Li Lerner, 2013). The second, affective engagement. This refers to how students perceive their school experience, incorporating their connection to their school, investment in class and relationship with their teachers. There are various studies which highlight the link between school engagement and educational performance. For example, Wang and Holcombe (2010) found school engagement to be directly related to academic achievement as well as functioning and adjustment in the school environment. Low levels of school engagement have also been attributed to delinquency, substance abuse (Li Lerner, 2011) higher drop-out rates (Archambault, Janosz, Fallu Pagani, 2009) and anti-social behaviour (Andrews Duncan, 1997). Decline can also be attributed to bullying, cheating, aggression and conduct issues (Simons-Morton and Chen, 2009). Reasons for the reduction in affective and cognitive engagement seen in OHC children can be seen in studies of other risk-populations which suggest such children are likely to experience less resources, decreased social support, higher-risk environments and increased exposure to adversity (Marks, 2000 and Daly, Shin, Thakral, Selders, Vera, 2009). Furthermore, a study by Gruman, Harachi, Abbott, Catalano Fleming (2008) found that children in OHC experience constant mobility and changes in placement which disrupts their school attendance, negatively affecting their school engagement. This can be seen in a study by Pears, Kim, Fisher and Yoergers (2013) which found that as well as displaying higher levels of externalizing and risk behaviours, children from a foster care sample showed significantly lower mean levels of affective and cognitive engagement in comparison to the children in a control group. This therefore suggests that due to their unstable environment, children in OHC exh ibit less cognitive and affective engagement in school, thus hindering their academic performance. Therefore, one way in which to challenge the disparity between OHC and normal children may be to address their lack of school engagement. A method in which to help decreased cognitive and affective engagement can be seen in direct-instruction (DI) interventions. DI is a specific style of teaching which has been used in many educational programmes designed for at-risk students. It consists of explicit, systematic instructions based on pre-planned lessons, a minimal student-to-teacher ratio, and constant assessment and progress tracking (Stahl, Duffy-Hester Stahl, 1998). DI programmes usually employ a three-step instructional procedure. Teachers must model (provide the appropriate information), lead (implore the correct recall from the student), and test (give immediate feedback and a delayed probe on the task initially attempted (Margaret, Houchins, Steventon, Candace Donya, 2005). DI programmes contain certain elements which can directly enhance aspects of cognitive and affective e ngagement for which OHC children are lacking in with regards to their normal school environment. This can be implemented via the application of supplementary tutoring programmes such as the TYCW (Maloney, 1998 in Flynn et al, 2012), DISTAR (Kim Axelrod, 2005) and the DILC (Cadette, Wilson, Brady, Dukes Bennett, 2016) which follow a DI approach. Such tutoring interventions could be administered by foster parents or carers as part of an institutional or foster care programme for OHC children. The explicit approach of DI has been found to help improve cognitive engagement, made evident through a wealth of literature attaining to how DI programmes can help improve overall grades in disadvantaged children. In a meta-analysis conducted by Borman, Hewes, Overman and Brown (2003), DI was found to be one of the most efficient programmes for improving academic performance in underachieving urban schools. The DI approach was also found to be effective in improving academic outcomes for young people at risk of school failure (Dolezal, Weber, Evavold, Wylie, McLaughlin, 2007). This implies DI programmes are useful to tackling cognitive engagement as it aims at improving academic performance in class. In terms of OHC children, a study by (Flynn, Marquis, Paquet, Peeke Aubry, 2012) conducted a randomized effectiveness trial with 77 foster children who were either involved in an DI intervention programmed or placed in a control group. Results indicated that at the post-test, the fost er children in the experimental group had made statistically and practically greater gains for sentence comprehension, reading and maths computation than those in the control group with relation to the pre-test scores. There is evidence for the ability DI programmes to address affective engagement also. DI improves student investment in class by minimizing the student-teacher ratio, ensuring that students receives more attention, thus increasing their connection with their teacher and bettering their overall experience (Rodriguez Elbaum, 2014). As the number of students increase, there is a reduction in the amount of time that can be spent on instruction and dealing with individual children (Bennett, 1996). This balance helps progress interactions between student and teacher and improves the relationship between the two. This improvement in the classroom experience is best illustrated in studies exploring the effects of classroom size in the achievement of at-risk pupils. For instance, a study by Blatchford, Bassett and Brown (2011) found that smaller classes led to pupils receiving more individual attention from teachers, and having better interactions with them. It was also reported that school engagement decreased in larger classes and that disadvantaged and minority pupils can benefit from a reduction in the student-teacher ratio in terms of more individual attention and facilitating engagement in learning (Finn, Suriani, Achilles, 2007 in Rodriguez Elbaum, 2014). In conclusion, it is clear, that children in OHC suffer from poorer academic achievement then those in the general population. The unstable environment experienced by such children during their academic years effects their ability to engage in classroom activities and general learning. The solution proposed to address this issue encompasses the introduction of tutoring programmes for such children in-line with the structure of DI interventions. Used in compliment to their school education such programmes work to enhance the decreased cognitive and affective engagement these pupils demonstrate in their regular school environment. Introducing such interventions in OHC institutions and foster care programmes should help to minimize the academic disparity between such children and their peers. References Carvalho, R. Gil, G. (2016). Gender differences in academic achievement: The mediating role of personality, Personality and Individual Differences, 94, 54-58 Duong, M.T., Badaly, D., Liu, F.L., Schwartz, D., Mccarty, C.A. (2016). Generational Differences in Academic Achievement among Immigrant Youths: A Meta-Analytic Review, Review of Educational Research, 2016, 86(1), 15-23 Witkow, M.R. Fuligni, A.J. (2011) Ethnic and Generational Differences in the Relations between Social Support and Academic Achievement across the High School Years, Journal of Social Issues, 67(3), 531-552 Stephens, N.M., Hamedani, M.G Destin, M. (2014) Closing the social-class achievement gap: a difference-education intervention improves first-generation students academic performance and all students college transition, Psychological science, 25(4), 943-53 Dworsky, A. Courtney, M.E. (2010) The risk of teenage pregnancy among transitioning foster youth: Implications for extending state care beyond age 18, Children and Youth Services Review, 32(10), 1351-1356 Brown, S. Wilderson, D. (2010) Homelessness prevention for former foster youth: Utilization of transitional housing programs, Children and Youth Services Review, 32(10), 1464-1472 Villegas, S. Pecora, P.J. (2012). Mental health outcomes for adults in family foster care as children: An analysis by ethnicity, Children and Youth Services Review, 34(8), 1448-1458 Trout, A. L., Hagaman, J., Casey, K., Reid, R., Epstein, M. H. (2008). The academic status of children and youth in out-of-home care: A review of the literature. Children and Youth Services Review, 30, 979-994 OHiggins, A., Sebba, J. Luke, N. (2015). What is the relationship between being in care and the educational outcomes of children? An international systematic review, The Rees Centre for Research in Fostering and Education, University of Oxford. Forsman, H., Brà ¤nnstrà ¶m, L., Vinnerljung, B. Hjern, A. (2016). Does poor school performance cause later psychosocial problems among children in foster care? Evidence from national longitudinal registry data, Child Abuse Neglect, 57, 61-71 Wang, M.T., Willett, J.B., Eccles, J.S. (2011). The Assessment of School Engagement: Examining Dimensionality and Measurement Invariance by Gender and Race/Ethnicity, Journal of School Psychology, 49(4), 465-480 Li, Y. and Lerner, M. (2013). Interrelations of behavioural, emotional, and cognitive school engagement in high school students, Journal Youth Adolescence, 42, 20-32 Wang, M.T., Holcombe, R. (2010) Adolescents Perceptions of School Environment, Engagement, and Academic Achievement in Middle School, American Educational Research Journal, 47(3), 633-662 Li, Y. Lerner, R.M. 2011) Trajectories of School Engagement during Adolescence: Implications for Grades, Depression, Delinquency, and Substance Use, Developmental Psychology, 47(1), 233-247 Chen, R. Simons-Morton, B. (2009) Concurrent changes in conduct problems and depressive symptoms in early adolescents: A developmental person-centred approach, Development and Psychopathology, 21(1), 285-307 Andrews, J. Duncan, S. (1997). Examining the Reciprocal Relation Between Academic Motivation and Substance Use: Effects of Family Relationships, Self-Esteem, and General Deviance, Journal of Behavioural Medicine, 20(6), 523-549 Archambault, I., Janosz, M., Fallu, J.S., Pagani, L.S. (2009). Student Engagement and Its Relationship with Early High School Dropout, Journal of Adolescence, 32(3), 651-670 Pears, K.C., Kim, H.K., Fisher, P.A. and Yoerger, K. (2013). Early school engagement and late elementary outcomes for maltreated children in foster care.   Developmental Psychology, 49(12), 2201-2211 Marks, H. M. (2000). Student engagement in instructional activity: Patterns in the elementary, middle, and high school years. American Educational Research Journal, 37, 153-184 Daly, B. P., Shin, R. Q., Thakral, C., Selders, M., Vera, E. (2009). School engagement among urban adolescents of colour: Does perception of social support and neighbourhood safety matter? Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 38, 63-74 Gruman, D. H., Harachi, T. W., Abbott, R. D., Catalano, R. F., Fleming, C. B. (2008). Longitudinal effects of student mobility on three dimensions of elementary school engagement. Child Development, 79, 1833-1852. Stahl, S., Duffy-Hester, A., Stahl, K. (1998). Everything you wanted to know about phonics (but were afraid to ask). Reading Research Quarterly, 33, 338-355 Margaret E., Houchins, D.E., Steventon, C. Sartor, D. (2005) A Comparison of Two Direct Instruction Reading Programs for Urban Middle School Students, Remedial and Special Education, 26(3), 175-182 Kim, T. Axelrod, S. (2005). Direct Instruction: An Educators Guide and a Plea for Action, The Behaviour Analyst Today, 6(2), Page 111-123 Cadette, J.N., Wilson, C.L., Brady, M.P., Dukes, C., Bennett, K.D. (2016) The Effectiveness of Direct Instruction in Teaching Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder to Answer Wh- Questions, Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 46(9), 2968-2978 Borman GD, Hewes GM, Overman LT, Brown S. (2003). Comprehensive school reform and achievement: A meta-analysis, Review of Educational Research, 73(2), 125-230. Dolezal, D.N., Weber, K.P., Evavold, J.J., Wylie, J., Mclaughlin, T. F (2007).The Effects of a Reinforcement Package for On-Task and Reading behaviour with At-Risk and Middle School Students with Disabilities, Child Family behaviour Therapy, 29(2), 9-25 Flynn, R.J., Marquis, R.A., Paquet, M.P., Peeke, L.M. Aubry, T.D. (2012). Effects of individual direct-instruction tutoring on foster childrens academic skills: A randomized trial, Children and Youth Services Review, 34(6), 1183-1189 Rodriguez, R. J. Elbaum, B. (2014) The Role of Student-Teacher Ratio in Parents Perceptions of Schools Engagement Efforts, Journal of Educational Research, 107(1), 69-80 Blatchford, P., Bassett, P. Brown, P. (2011) Examining the Effect of Class Size on Classroom Engagement and Teacher-Pupil Interaction: Differences in Relation to Pupil Prior Attainment and Primary vs. Secondary Schools, Learning and Instruction, 21(6), 715-730 Bennett, N. (1996). Class size in primary schools: Perceptions of head teachers, chairs of governors, teachers and parents, British Educational Research Journal, 22(1), 33 55   Ã‚  

Comparing Ridley Scotts Blade Runner and Philip K. Dicks Do Androids

Comparing Ridley Scott's "Blade Runner" and Philip K. Dick's Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? How do we know that we are human and, if we are human, what does it mean to be human? These two philosophical inquiries are explored in great depth in Ridley Scott's film "Blade Runner", and of course the text of Philip K. Dick's wonderful novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? on which the film is based. Most would agree that these themes exist in the novel, but a handful of critics and academics have some doubt as to their presence in the film. If one examines both the film and the text, one will realize that they both serve to support the same motifs, but do so in different fashions. Many critics argue that the awesome visuals overwhelm the contents of the plot and theme, but I argue that the visuals depicting Los Angeles in the year 2019 help to advance the themes. Viewers often miss the human side of the story or lack there of, and may object to the strong visuals for this reason. It can be argued that the visuals serve to portray a dehumanized world where only subtle signs of humanity's existence are dispersed throughout, where existentialist notions such as what being human is and what being human means are not easily answered. To briefly summarize the plot, Harrison Ford stars as Rick Deckard, a cop from the future (blade runner) who tracks down and kills replicants, which are basically artificially created human beings. In other films, they are usually referred to as androids. Specifically, his assignment is to find and kill five replicants who have escaped from an off-world colony and come to earth. The most interesting parts of "Blade Runner" are Deckard's interactions with the various replicants, especially Ra... ... also feel sympathy for Deckard. The film illustrates that both are in a struggle to become more human, Deckard because he is slowly losing his humanity, and the androids because they have never had the experience of humanity, but desire it. This sympathy for both entities further reinforces the blur that Scott is creating between the android and the human. Because the film does this so effectively, we can easily ask the question, "what makes a human more deserving of life than an android?" Essentially, when all is said and done, "Blade Runner" is really a film about questions, questions that we should ask ourselves of humanity. What is a human? What does it mean to be human? Do humans have more of a right to life than replicants? Have humans and androids become the same thing? It is not so important that one answers these questions, but that he or she asks them.

Video Games: Positive Agents Of Change Essay -- Video Games Essays

Video games have come under fire recently. Many people claim the graphic violence and adult themes in the games have affected younger generations and caused many violent acts. Others claim that video games have contributed to obesity and a lack of communication skills. Both of these claims are most often an older generation's misunderstanding of today's youth and the overreaction of the media. Rarely does the mainstream media portray video games for what they really are, a new way for kids to interact and share meaningful experiences all without being in any danger. Video games have endless possibilities and should be thought of as tools to teach the youth rather than the cancer that ravages them. Although many people see video games as a problem, they are actually a positive force because they have infinite possibilities for good. Video games have become one of the most popular pastimes for kids these days. With the advent of powerful graphics processors and more innovative chip designs, games are becoming incredibly realistic. This realism is what brings many gamers to the industry. Realism, in a sense, is why the gaming industry has taken off and increases profits every year. Video games are not just a fun hobby or pastime, they are way for gamers to escape the world and imagine themselves in an entirely new landscape. Video games are dreams with controllers. While driving through a racetrack in a video game, one doesn't feel as if they are sitting in front of a TV playing a game, they feel as if they are the car. This is a hard phenomenon to explain but video games are such a global activity inside the brain that the user actually feels as if he is in the game living the experience. This, is obviously lim... ...deo games are a great way for kids and even adults to get away from the world for a while. Players are wrapped up in their own virtual world and can express how they are feeling through the game. Video games can also have great positive side effects and could even be the training mechanism of the future for many professions. The people who argue against video games on the grounds of violence and desensitization misunderstand the attitude of children toward video games and imply that humans are no more complicated than â€Å"monkey-see monkey-do.† Video games still have a lot of potential and they can be used for much more than just relaxation and fun. They can be a social medium, an agent of change. A good video game can be like a work of art that inspires people to try new things or change the way they think about something. But above all else, video games sure are fun.

Compare and Contrast of 3 Sociology Theories Essay

Sociology is the study of society. Through the centuries, sociologists have tried to provide an explanation as to why and how humans interact with each other on a social basis. Sociologists have divided sociology into two levels, microsociology and macrosociology (Sociology). The level of microsociology studies is on a smaller perspective, as macrosociology is the study of society on a larger analysis. Today, sociology has three major theories: symbolic interactionism, functionalism and conflict. Symbolic interaction refers to the patterns of communication, interpretation and adjustment between individuals,† (Baird and Kaufmann) humans will interpret different meanings in everyday life, from having a conversation or using their conscience. This theory is based on microsociology because it can be based upon individual interaction or a single person using symbolism with an object. For example, a person can interpret a white dove as a sign of love and peace, while another person can view it as just an animal. Symbolic interaction is unlike the two other theories, mostly because it is on a micro-sociological scale and focuses on just one aspect of society. It is believed that this theory’s origins are developed from Max Weber who believed a person acts based of their interpretation of the world. However, an American sociologist by the name of George H. Mead introduced the theory to American sociology in the 1920’s (Sociology). The second theory is functionalism which is defined as, â€Å"the doctrine that what makes something a mental state of a particular type does not depend on its internal constitution, but rather on the way it functions, or the role it plays, in the system of which it is a part. (Functionalism)† This theory is based upon different aspects of society, working interdependently together, creating a sound environment. The best example of this theory would involve a family and their government working together to create an ideal environment. As the family works to pay off taxes to the government, the government will supply the children with education and a future (Sociology). It has similar fundamentals as a lifecycle, and if all goes well, will continue in a similarly sound society. Functionalist, Emile Durkheim, believed it could be broken down into two types of social consensus: mechanical and organic solidarity (Sociology). Mechanical solidarity is a community sharing similar beliefs and work. An example of this is an Amish community (Sociology). Organic solidarity is most common, especially in America, and it refers to a society functioning with different ideas and work. Robert Merton divided functionalism between latent and manifest functions. Manifest function would be â€Å"intentional and obvious†, as latent is unintentional and discrete (Sociology). What differentiates this theory from the other two is that this theory does not require social change. This can be problematic because it does not consider aspects like divorce or bankruptcy. Symbolic interaction and functionalism are alike in the fact that they both require social interaction. Emile Durkheim was a main tenant in creating this theory (Baird and Kaufmann). Conflict perspective is the third theory. â€Å"Of the classical founders of social science, conflict theory is most commonly associated with Karl Marx (1818–1883). Based on a dialectical materialist account of history, Marxism posited that capitalism, like previous socioeconomic systems, would inevitably produce internal tensions leading to its own destruction,† according to the book From Plato to Derrida (Baird and Kaufmann). This perspective is different from the other two theories because it focuses on the negative aspects on society. Unlike functionalism, it focuses on the on society’s change and empowering social structure. Although it is on a macro-level scale like functionalism, it primarily is focused upon the change of society. It explains social phenomena because it demonstrates the aspect of a food chain, and that it is â€Å"survival of the fittest† in society. From social structure, people will learn where they belong in everyday life. Obviously a person of poor status would not be engaging with someone of a rich status. The more rich side of the population will gain more benefits from education and the business, providing the wants and needs to their dependents, creating a stronger backbone for their future. I believe, as an American, the theory that best explains our society would be functionalism. Our country solely depends on an infrastructure constructed by different branches of society working together to create a greater picture. We, as adults, pay for taxes that will supply our children with schooling, so one day they too can have a paying job to help out their children through school. The United States of America is quality example of functionalism, especially in the more massive cities like Manhattan or Chicago. Cities are dependent on the interdependent functions of society to keep their society on a sound level. Another aspect of functionalism is the organic solidarity which is most common in America because of the nation’s vast difference in ideals in everyday life which proves to keep the government and society in the middle, or never changing. In any case, if bankruptcy happens to a significant company, the impact will be felt through society and the economy. This shows the flaws upon the theory because it does not consist with the concern of divorce or bankruptcy. As society has proven, we adapt and an independent role takes over, once again providing stable government. The three main theories of sociology are symbolic interaction, functionalism and conflict. Symbolic interaction is the only theory that is on a micro-level, focusing on the cause and reaction between two variables. Functionalism and conflict are on a macro-level and view society on a larger scale as a whole. Conflict theory is the only theory that reflects a negative input, as symbolic and functionalism focuses on the positive aspects of society. I believe, as an American, functionalism is most logical answer for our reality of a society. It embraces the way our government has adapted over hundreds of years, proving the best fit in my opinion. I believe it focuses on the economic infrastructure and capitalism of the United States of America. All the theories are alike in that they each have interaction, even if it on different levels.

Interactive Lecture Essay

What is interactive lecture? An interactive lecture is an easy way for instructors to intellectually engage and involve students as active participants in a lecture-based class of any size. Interactive lectures are classes in which the instructor breaks the lecture at least once per class to have students participate in an activity that lets them work directly with the material. * The instructor might begin the interactive segment with an engagement trigger that captures and maintains student attention. * Then the instructor incorporates an activity that allows students to apply what they have learned or give them a context for upcoming lecture material. * As the instructor feels more comfortable using interactive techniques he or she might begin to call upon a blend of various interactive techniques all in one class period. Why use interactive lecture? Lecturing is a time-honored teaching technique that is an efficient method to present large amounts of content in classes of any size and it is efficient for sharing information with large numbers of students, but may result in students who listen passively. * Making lectures interactive by including techniques such as think-pair-share, demonstrations, and role playing, can foster active engagement and enhance the value of the lecture segments. * Using techniques that allow all of the students to participate, instead of having individual students answer questions when called on, will promote student retention and learning of the material presented during lecture, give students practice in developing critical-thinking skills, and enable instructors to assess how well the class is learning that day. * Breaking up the lecture with these techniques not only provides format change to engage students, these activities allow students to immediately apply content and provides feedback to the instructor on student Activity Based Teaching Strategies The education on activity based teaching strategies Promotes teaching and learning strategies for learning activities, students work and provide opportunities for real life so they can contribute to self-learning and this strategy can be used to investigate the family situation, or discover an argument and the depth the sharpness. Examples of activity based teaching strategies, as follows: – The excursion – Games to make oral presentations – Discussion of the training group – innovative learning through projects The concept of learning The activities are part of the President of the elements of the program strategy and education are also important for other learning strategies and modern media: â€Å"The efforts of physical or mental exertion students (and teachers) to achieve this result, the following defines as â€Å"learning by students apply to intentional activity, and the deliberate and planned† He knew the work and activities â€Å"a student or students responsible for planning, the teacher’s request or desire of the classroom or outside resources, and in the form of movement or say or write according to the source of the accident the conduct in the place of activity to stop. For us it is clear that the task of wages, and reached a low with a test product, and it is necessary that the timing of how success is possible to reach the exit, but the educational activity, whether the teacher did and learning activities is done with the students and the educational activity is a means of learning activities can be educational and various learning activities, but teaching and learning activities with learning activities based on strategic problems of combined measures. Components of practice: It consists of activities in the preparation and planning of six elements: 1. Help 2. Time 3. Objective: The production, which aims to 4. Standard Admission 5. Calendar 6. Working (active substance) Benefits and advantages of activity based teaching strategies Learning by students through activity based teaching strategies on experience you get is of great importance because the education sector, with many goals and the advantages and benefits: †¢ increasing the student’s attention and willingness to respond to the educational settings †¢ Guide the development trend of students and their needs and develop their talents and the direction of education is correct. †¢ Provide real opportunities for students to self-study, where the benefits of the teaching learning situations in their future. †¢ lead to the strengthening of the independence †¢ Work in cooperative learning †¢ encourage students to take responsibility for their own learning †¢ Move the student to reluctance to exercise and respect for manual labor The role of students in the development and use of learning activities based. The role of students to do different things, including: 1. Their personal interests 2. Participate in educational objectives 3. Developing good organizational skills to keep unions 4. Involved in the program flow 5. Demonstrate enthusiasm for seeking new knowledge 6. In collaboration with other The teacher role in the development and use of activity based teaching strategies. Located in the role of the teacher in developing the strategy of education by â€Å"learning and the most important things the teacher must first of a activity based teaching strategies, as follows: 1. The planning and preparation for 2. Identify outcomes 3. Having noted the outcomes of learning using appropriate strategies such as the agenda: report or wish to evaluate the stairs 4. Choose the right activities and stimulating for students 5. Mechanisms within the group 6. Promote cooperation in carrying out activities Activity based teaching strategies describes a range of pedagogical approaches to teaching. Its core premises include the requirement that learning should be based on doing some hands on experiments and activities. The idea of activity based teaching strategies is rooted in the common notion that children are active learners rather than passive recipients of information. If child is provided the opportunity to explore by their own and provided an optimum learning environment.

Apple Inc. Case 2010

1. What, historically, have been Apple’s competitive advantages? Apple has had various competitive advantages since its origin until the present. Firstly, Apple’s innovation has always been its hallmark. Beginning with the first â€Å"Apple I† till the â€Å"iPad 2†, Apple products have change the development of the market many times, specially during the last decade, with the first iPod’s lunch. Although Apple’s single technologies have not been walkthroughs created by the company itself, it has developed the characteristics of these technologies and combined them in a way that had never been done before.One of Apple’s main ways to innovate is through the ease of use of its products, another of its big competitive advantages. Apple’s products are popularly considered as very intuitive and, although MP3 players already existed in 2001 or multi-touch surfaces in 2007, products like the iPod and iPhone allow the use of these techn ologies and devices in a very practical way with an almost vertical learning curve. Besides this ease-to-use, Apple has â€Å"plug & play† oriented designs: devices ready to be used with a series of peripherals without requiring prior knowledge.This has led Mac computers to be â€Å"digital hubs† of the new digital devices. Moreover, Apple has always had a proprietary design. Apple has never licensed any of its products or designs (except during Spindler’s management). This means that it has always had a wide control over its value chain, from the designs from scratch of their computers, till the software and its marketing or sales. It has a widely vertical integrated business and nowadays, it is even beginning to design its own microchips. This has led to a very unique differentiation that can be hardly found in competitors’ products.That is why one of Apple’s most typical characteristics are its products’ elegant and state-of-the-art indus trial designs and superior software (OS). All components of its products are perfectly integrated and work altogether better than separated. Apple’s design process consists of a series of activities that can be hardly copied. Finally, it is very important to highlight Apple’s brand image and the whole culture created around it. As Jobs says, Apple products are intended to be a â€Å"cultural force†.Apple delivers through its products complete solutions and experiences, different to the use of any other company’s products. Its devices are considered as iconic within their correspondent markets and the company is seen as a leader of the â€Å"digital age†. Apple has always had a solid base of loyal customers and its brand is presently one of the best known in the world. Furthermore, Steve Jobs CEO is considered as an innovation guru and has been named CEO of the decade, boosting Apple’s popularity even higher, if possible. 2. Analyze the perso nal computer industry.Are the dynamics favorable or problematic for Apple? The personal computer industry is a highly concentrated market. The four top PC vendors (Acer, Dell, HP and Lenovo) control the 55% of worldwide shipments. It is a competition intense sector given the low switching costs of the industry. Growth has been driven by a decrease of prices and expansion of capabilities, with consequently higher sales volumes, but with a relatively smaller growth in revenues. PC components are going through a standardization process and PC makers are cutting expenditures in R&D.Due to the aforementioned low switching costs and the low differentiation among vendors, the threat of substitute products is very high in the industry. However, despite the low product differentiation, vendors have built strong brands and the investments required to enter the sector are very high, for what the entrance of new competitors with similar volume and brand awareness as the present top vendors is q uite unlikely. The only open way for competitors seems to be the â€Å"white-box† market (with around 30% of sales in 2009), but these machines cover only the desktop market.Regarding the clients’ power, they have a wide range of very similar products in design, capabilities and price to choose from, for what the switching costs are very low, as mentioned. PC vendors’ customers are therefore in a strong position to push them in the desired direction. On the other hand, PC makers have also high bargaining power in their relationships with their suppliers, as PC components are widely available at very competitive prices (excluding microprocessors and operating systems).As for Apple, the sector’s dynamics involve both favorable and problematic characteristics. The still hegemonic â€Å"wintel† systems make Apple’s products a strong and very differentiated alternative. Moreover, home consumers are the biggest segment in the industry, a group tha t values design, mobility and connectivity, some features in which Apple is a leader. On the other hand, the company may have an overall minor base of potential clients willing to acquire the knowledge to operate its devices.Despite the fall in prices and increase in capabilities that the market requests, something that could seem problematic to any player in the sector, Apple is still able to charge premium prices through design and â€Å"user experience† differentiation, without requiring to push its devices capabilities over the average. All of this means that Apple can make big profits in its premium niche market, but that overall penetration might be a setback. Nevertheless, Apple is still reliant on its components’ suppliers, who â€Å"force† Apple to purchase major volumes in order to reach competitive costs.