Digital recording equipment Essay Example for Free

Digital recording equipment Essay The use of information and communications technology has permeated almost every fabric of society. The education sector and the teaching of mathematics in particular are no exception. Increasingly, information and communication technologies are being used to administer teaching materials to students. Students also benefit from these tools in their knowledge acquisition (Goodison,2002; Hall and Higgins, 2005; Oldknow, 2002; Wall, Higgins and Smith, 2005) . This development is taking place in the developed as well as the developing world. The usage of information of communications technology has become so endemic that schools and teachers for that matter that fail to participate in this development risk increasing marginalization (Spanos, Prastacos and Poulymenakou, 2002). Information and communication technologies being used in the education sector include computers, the internet, telephone, emails, among others. Other specific tools offered by information and communication technology for teaching and learning have been catalogued by Osborne and Hennessy (2007) as follows: (a) tools for data capture, processing and interpretation such as data logging systems, databases and spreadsheets, graphing tools and modeling environments (b) multimedia software for simulation of processes and carrying out â€Å"virtual experiments†. (c) Publishing and presentation tools (d) Digital recording equipment (e) Computer projection technology These research workers added that these forms of information and communication technology can enhance both the practical and theoretical aspects of teaching. Other advantages of information and communication technology include enhancing the learning experience by offering a more personalized environment to students (Williams, 2005), boundaryless to which teaching materials can be administered and learning received (Osborne and Hennessy, 2007) and its limitless capacity to reach countless pupils and students with the same teaching materials (Van Brakel and Chisenga, 2003. , Johnston-Wilder and Pimm, 2004). It is known that many school pupils and students alike shy away from mathematics, claiming it is a difficult subject. It maybe a worthwhile undertaking to find out how information and communication technology help students overcome the problem of learning the subject and also teachers in effectively teaching it. Also, despite the widespread use of information and communication technology in the teaching of mathematics, few studies have been conducted to assess its effectiveness as a teaching tool and its impact on learning. Consequently, there is paucity of information in this area of education. This study therefore was instituted to help fill the information gap. Specifically, it shall seek to answer the question of whether the use of information and communication technology enhance teaching and learning of mathematics or otherwise. 2. 0 LITERATURE REVIEW 2. 1 Information and Communication Technologies for teaching mathematics Oldknow (2004) has given a vivid description of the information and communication technology hardwares, softwares and gadgets available for teaching and learning of mathematics. According to this author, information and communication technology hardware used to support interactive whole class teaching are conventionally based on a computer (desktop or laptop) or a projector or both. These gadgets can be permanently mounted or are movable. This author also pointed out that the objects projected can be displayed on an interactive white board (IWB) or an ordinary whiteboard or a clear patch of wall or screen. The IWB also come with its own pack of software tools. Two commonly used softwares for teaching mathematics are the Dynamic Geometry Software (DGS) and the Cabri Geometry Software. The former can be used at all levels of education. Other tools in use are the graphical calculators and data-loggers as well as integrated mathematical softwares such as the TI Inter-active. In their book titled â€Å"Teaching secondary mathematics with ICT (Learning and teaching with Information and communication technology), Johnston-Wilder and Pimm (2004) offered useful tools used in teaching and learning of mathematics. For example, they showed how the internet and video conferencing can be used to enhance teaching. They also revealed how interactive boards can be used in the classroom. Softwares that support the teaching and learning of mathematics in primary schools have been categorized by the DfES (2007). These include (a) software for numbering and number patterns (b) spreadsheet software and calculators (c) pixie and roamer programmable toys for stage one pupils (d) shape programs using computer-aided design (CAD), (e) Abacus 1, 2, and 3 teaching software and (f) 123-CD for numeric skill development. 2. 2 The use of information and communication technology in schools In the last decade or two, information and communication technology (ICT) has considerably altered the way and manner teaching of students and pupils, learning and school administration is carried out. According to Gurr (2001) school systems worldwide face increasing pressure to use technology to enhance teaching, learning and administration. This research worker further pointed out that in the school system of Victoria, Australia, school principals had been able to manage the decade of explosive change through an increasing reliance on information communication and technology. Some of the principals he interviewed in this study revealed that they would not have been able to do their work, if they had not been familiar with information and communication technology. A lot of changes have taken place since 2001 in the information and communication technology sector itself and its usage in teaching, learning and administration of schools that lack of knowledge in information and communication technology would have made the work of operatives in this sector virtually possible. Loveless (2003) studied the interaction between primary school teachers’ perceptions of information and communication technology and their pedagogy at Carberry Junior School in England. He found that Information and communication technology was perceived as by the teachers as a social and cultural phenomenon and an ambiguous area constructed as a discrete subject and a ‘new’ field in primary schools. Yuen, Law and Wong (2003), on the other hand, studied the models of change in eighteen schools striving to integrate the use of information and communications technology in teaching and learning across school curriculum in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. They found that the strategy adopted by a school instituting such change and the resulting variation of pedagogical practices using information and communication technology was strongly dependent on the school leader’s vision and understanding of the role and impact of information and communication technology in the curriculum, culture and background of the school and its general vision and mission. Hennessy, Ruthven and Brindley (2005) also examined how secondary school teachers of core subjects such as English, Mathematics and Science integrate information and communication technology into mainstream classroom practice in English schools. They found that teachers used Information and communication technology to enhance and extend their existing classroom practice. Teachers also developed and tried new strategies specifically for mediating Information and communication technology supported learning. These research workers also found that teachers were able to overcome potentially obstructive role of some forms of information and communication technology by focusing pupils’ attention to underlying learning objectives. In another study involving a survey of teachers, Ruthven and Hennessy (2003) reported that ICT enabled teachers to facilitate more of their routine components of classroom activity, increasing the productivity of pupils and improving the quality of work they produced. These researchers also added that ICT allowed the teachers’ activities to be carried out more quickly and reliably, with greater ease and higher quality (Ruthven and Hennessy, 2002) Sutherland and co-workers (2004) also studied how teams of teachers and researchers embed information and communication technology into everyday classroom practices to enhance learning. The study focused on the teaching and learning across a range of subjects such as English, History, Geography, Mathematics, Foreign languages, Music and Science. They found that young people out of school uses of information and communication technology influenced their in-school learning. Higgins (2007), on the other hand, has pointed out that there is evidence from research that information and communication technology could help pupils to learn and teachers to teach more effectively. This researcher however, added that there was not a simple message in such evidence that ICT would make a difference simply by being used. In other words, concrete plans and objectives must be set in place and stringently implemented before observable results can be seen. Higgins (2007) further added that findings suggest that although information and communication technology can improve learning, there were a number of issues that must be addressed if technology was to make a difference. These issues are (a) the modest effect of information and communication technology compared with other research interventions and (b) the almost negligible effect of the provision and use of information and communication technology at a general level. Lawson and Comber (1999) have examined the non-technical factors which lead to successful integration of information and communication technology into school curriculum. The factors identified included (a) teachers’ attitudes prior to the innovation (b) the role of the information and communication technology coordinator (c) the attitude of senior management and (d) the existence of adequate support and training. These research workers concluded that the interplay between these four factors provided the necessary conditions for a successful deployment of superhighways technology in the curriculum. According to McCarney (2004) previous studies into teacher attitude and motivation in Scotland, identified staff development as one of the contributing factors to the effective usage of information and communication technology in the classroom. This study further revealed that there was the need to place greater emphasis on the pedagogy of information and communication technology. The study concluded that these findings should be of interest to all involved in teacher education and the continuing professional development of teachers. 2. 3 Problems associated with information and communication technology usage in schools The use of information and communication technology in the educational sector has not been without its peculiar problems. Littlejohn (2002) has pointed out that common shortcomings in educational design in higher education had not been fully addressed in some schools during the rapid shift towards online, resource-based learning. He noted that a contributing factor to this problem has been the adherence of academic staffs towards passive and didactic forms of online teaching and learning. Continuous professional development has been offered as the most valid way of rectifying this problem (Davies and Preston, 2002; Littlejohn, 2002). There are more primary and secondary schools than schools catering for higher educations, so it can be expected that the problem can be more pronounced in the lower end of the educational ladder. Some educators have suggested that information and communication technology use should start at the schools where teachers are trained. Galanouli and McNair (2001) have shown from a study that students’ use of information and communication technology on teaching practice was necessary for effective future use of information and communication technology in the classroom. They therefore recommended that schools should be supported and resourced properly to enable teachers gain effective information and communication technology training for their future careers. Some researchers have highlighted the negative effects information and communication technology can have on pupils or students. Tolmie (2001) has pointed out that whilst information and communication technology has tremendous benefits, it can have unexpected diverse effects on students according to the setting in which they are used. He counseled that if the object was to exercise control over the outcome, then conditions of use need to be planned for within the design and implementation of the technology. In order to do this, Tolmie (2001) recommended that data should be gathered on how outcomes are affected by the interplay between technology and the context within which they are used. Watson (2004) has bemoaned technology’s role in education. According to this research worker despite the ubiquity of technology in the business world, no clear role has emerged for it in education. He further pointed out that this was happening after many years of national policies and investment in information technologies in the UK and elsewhere. He added that technology is still considered by many people as having been imposed and novel â€Å"outsider† in the pedagogy of schools. Kennewell (2001) has conceded that evaluating the nature and extent of the influence of information and communication technology on the quality of learning is highly problematic, owning to the number and complexity of interacting variables involved in the settings of teaching and learning. These difficulties notwithstanding, Kennewell (2001) pointed out that there was the need to identify, characterize, measure and model more precisely the features and processes through which technology impacts upon teaching and learning. According to this research worker, such information is very much needed by those responsible for allocating large sums of money for the development of information and communication technology in education. METHODOLOGY A qualitative study involving in-depth personal interviews with mathematics teachers shall be conducted. Three teachers shall be engaged for this interview. The questionnaire to be used is given in the Appendix. This study shall endeavour to assess the knowledge and understanding of the three chosen mathematics teachers about information and communication technology as well as problems they encountered in using them. REFERENCES 1. Davies, R. and Preston, M. (2002). An evaluation of the impact of continuing professional development on personal and professional lives, Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 28(2):231-254.

Poland Springs Advertisement Campaign Failure Essay Example for Free

Poland Springs Advertisement Campaign Failure Essay Poland Spring’s recent advertisement puts its viewers in a serene natural environment; a nice sunny day overlooking a crystal clear spring on a green field. In the center of this field is a giant plastic bottle, one that is â€Å"environmentally friendly.† The bottle is praised and pointed out for using â€Å"less plastic,† â€Å"less paper,† and the very important â€Å"dye-free cap.† The bottle is called the â€Å"Eco-Shaped bottle† and is designed to have less impact on the earth. The entire scene is under the giant caption that tells of how Poland Spring is doing â€Å"less† to the environment. The company is selling water in a disposable plastic bottle yet the advertisement seems to be trying to convince people that by consuming their disposable product they are some how helping the environment; that because they drink Poland Spring water they are doing â€Å"less to the environment. This advertising strategy however is not uncommon. According to Julia B. Corbett â€Å" ‘green advertising’ has focused on ads that promote environmental sensitivity toward†¦ a corporate image of environmental sensitivity† (Corbett 148). The recent ad campaign may seen to be about Poland Spring’s new â€Å"Eco-Shaped† bottle, but it is really about diverting attention from the pollution the bottle generates to instead creating a pro-environmental view of the company and its product. The Eco-Shaped bottle by Poland Spring is marketed with a few selling points the company points out directly in their advertisement. The bottle uses â€Å"30% less plastic†, â€Å"less paper† and a â€Å"dye-free cap†. These improvements are  better for the environment then the original bottle used by Poland Spring. However the problem lies in the fact that the product is still harmful to the environment. Last time I checked less of a bad thing is still a bad thing. According a recent article by Hope Molinaro, the California Department of Conservation (CDOC) stated, â€Å"in California, more than a billion plastic water bottles wind up in the trash each year† and that total is only the amount of bottles in the state of California (Molinaro, 64). The total amount equates to 3 million empty water bottles per day disposed of in just one state (Molinaro, 64). That large amount of plastic has many detrimental effects to the environment. The materials used to make the bottles consist of a tremendous amount of resources and are difficult to dispose of if not recycled. There is an overwhelming amount of evidence to make the claim that a good portion of the plastic bottle waste generated in the United States is produced by the Poland Spring Company. Not only is the plastic filling our landfills, but there is evidence that the water bottle company is polluting its own town. According to a 2008 study of pollution demographics of Androscoggin County in Maine, where Poland Spring’s headquarters is located, the particulate matter is 62% higher there than the United States average (Unknown). It’s also 61% higher then the state of Maine’s average particulate matter found (Unknown). Particulate matter is a complex mixture of extremely small particles and liquid droplets. Particle pollution is made up of a number of components, including acids (such as nitrates and sulfates), organic chemicals, metals, and soil or dust particles. Poland Spring’s advertisement does not show any of this particulate matter when depicting how green and lush the springs it gets its water from are. One aspect of the Poland Spring’s advertisement that I find different and contradictory to traditional green thinking is that in the ad the plastic Poland Spring water bottle, is shown in nature. Normally when a plastic water bottle is found laying in a field or any natural setting for that matter, it is viewed upon as pollution. In this ad the bottle is sitting in nature and is supposed to be appealing to the human eye. The bottle is shown in a way that it blends into the natural setting and tries to convince people that it almost belongs there, in the midst of nature; that the  unnatural belongs with the natural. It is easy to relate the bottle as being positive to the environment however as it blends in with the incredible sunrise in the background on a beautiful day with a clear sky. The bottle is featured sitting in a field where the growth of the field is doing outstanding and there is not one dead or even one imperfectly grown plant. The land is doing so well it is almost portrayed as being happy and at peace with a giant, unnatural, plastic water bottle sticking out of it. This scene does not just occur in the ad however as pollution is a huge issue when there is a â€Å"disposable† factor to the product. A second contradiction in the ad is that Poland Spring is a water bottle company whose ad features more lush, green field then the body of water in which their product comes from. The ad is trying to make the product fall into the American consumers mind as a green product hence the green field is more affective then a view of the lake or spring containing the water Poland Spring is selling. Poland Spring is really trying to hammer in the point that it’s product is green and eco-friendly, and the more green in the picture the more green the consumer sees. Contradiction number three this ad uses is the slogan that titles it. In the current green revolution sweeping across America the constant theme is doing more for the environment. Under Poland Springs fancy, flower-laden font reads the words â€Å"doing less†. This is a clear indication that Poland Spring is not being beneficial to the environment by saying they are â€Å"doing less† harm to the planet we live on. Over the serene sunset, over laying the clear blue sky, and lush green field, lies an admission of pollution and guilt by the company. Poland Spring’s methods however are not so uncommon in today’s advertising market. Many advertising campaigns are seen now featuring nature in one way or another and one of the more common ways to do this is through and advertisements backdrop. According to Julia B. Corbett, â€Å"Using nature merely as a backdrop whether in the form of wild animals, mountain vistas or sparkling rivers-is the most common use of the natural world in advertisements.† (Corbett 150) So when Poland Spring sets it’s water bottle in the green field, with little purple flowers swaying in the wind, the peaceful sunset over looking the bluest clear sky the world has to offer,  followed by beautiful green hills rolling off to the distance there is a purpose to it. The purpose according to Julia could be that the company is trying to promote a â€Å"corporate image of environmental responsibility.†(Corbett 148) This is very well one if not the main initiative of the advertisement and it is even so less of an advertisement as it is a rebuttal. Recently, as our country starts to become more â€Å"green† and environmentally aware, there has been some recent campaigns against the consumption of bottled water. One major campaign against bottled water has been â€Å"Think outside the bottle†. Even the mayor of Miami, Manny Diaz along with a dozen or so mayors, is calling on municipal governments to phase out bottled-water purchases in a resolution to be presented at the U.S. Mayors Conference (Barnes). Poland Spring is trying to distract the average consumer from believing the hype that the bottle are bad for the environment and tries to prove that they are doing something about it. Poland Spring’s advertisement is focusing on green aspects of its product and is trying to make the company appear to have a green initiative, however the Poland Spring’s target audience is not the hardcore environmentalist. Any person who puts some research into what they buy and cares about the environment is going to know that consumption of disposable plastic water bottles is not going to help the environment. The ad however does target the average consumer who does sort of care about the environment but does not research into what they consume. A consumer might see the recent anti-water bottle campaigns and generate a negative view of the disposable, plastic water bottles that Poland Spring sells. That is why Poland Spring’s ad was created in the first place, to turn the average consumer’s view of the water bottle and the Poland Spring Company from a negative one to a positive one. In times of environmental awareness that the United States is currently facing, many unenvironmentally friendly companies are finding it harder and harder to promote sales for their products. Poland Spring is no different in that respect but tries a different approach that is gaining in popularity, green advertising. Poland Spring uses nature to show a pristine and beautiful backdrop for their hazardous product. The ad is focusing on deterring the public’s view of Poland Spring from environmentally damaging  to environmentally caring. As shady and undermining the ad is to not only the people but the earth its self, the ad creates a pro-environmental image of a company that does not practice what is preaches. Works Cited Barnes, Tayler. Anti Bottled Water Campaign Enlists Mayors to Cause. Corporate Accountability International. Miami Herald. Web. 07 Nov. 2011. http://www.stopcorporateabuse.org/MiamiHeraldTOTB. Corbett, Julia B. †Faint†Green: Advertising and the Natural World.† Communicating Nature: How We Create and Understand Environmental Messages. Island, 2005. Web. Molinaro, Hope. Plastic Water Bottles Go to Waste, Says Calif. Conservation Agency. Plastics Engineering 59.7 (2003): 64-. ProQuest Research Library. Web. 7 Nov. 2011. Unknown. Poland Spring Pollution Indexes. Raw data. Androscoggin County. CLRSreach.com

Racial Profiling Ethics

Racial Profiling Ethics Racial profiling is the practice of viewing certain characteristics such as race, ethnicity, religion or national origin as indicators of criminal behavior. It is a practice that has been used by law enforcement officials when targeting specific crimes or those suspected of potentially committing crimes (Pollock, 2012). Police Officers utilize their discretion when deciding whether to stop an individual or not; but, when the Officers beliefs and ideals are immortal or unethical then their judgment may be distorted (Savive, 2012). Racial profiling is the product of unethical and immoral ideals and beliefs in action (Savive, 2012). Racial profiling violates both the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments to the United States (U.S.) Constitution. The Fourth Amendment states that individuals have the right to be secure in their persons against unreasonable searches without probable cause. The Fourteenth Amendment guarantees equal protection of the law to all its citizens however; those who are subjugated to racial profiling are not being treated to the same justice and searches as their white counterparts (Head, 2012). For instance, in New York City, Police Officers conduct stop and frisk of pedestrians (Spitzer, 1999). Stop and frisk occurs when an officer detains an individual and runs his hands over the individuals outer garments to determine whether that person is carrying a concealed weapon. A 1999 study revealed that Blacks were targeted a majority of the time but only 10.5 percent resulted in arrest. Whites however, were targeted the least amount of times but resulted in the greatest percentage of arrest at 12.6 percent (Spitzer, 1999). When New York City Police Officers relied solely on racial profiling, they found weapons less frequently on the racial groups that they profiled. Racial profiling becomes a less effective way of targeting suspected criminals and decreases the overall mission. Racial profiling actually diverts the Officers attention from using actua l, objective signs of suspicious behavior to effectively assess situations (ACLU, 2010). Many Americans would agree that racial profiling is wrong and immoral. They would even agree that individuals should not be targeted as suspected criminals simply because of their race. But, many of these same Americans would agree to racial profiling if the focus was on catching suspected terrorist. However, when law enforcement officials concentrate on those of Muslim or Arab heritage they miss a lot of prospective terrorist. Just as focusing solely on African Americans as drug traffickers, law enforcement would fail to focus on the individuals who are transporting and selling drugs (mainly White Americans). When the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City was bombed, law enforcement officials immediately began focusing on Arab Americans when the perpetrator actually ended up being Timothy McVeigh, a young white male who was an Army veteran (CNN, 2001). Law enforcement continues to focus on those of Arab or Muslim decent when tracking terrorist but has not extended their profiles to include young white male veterans. Why not? Another young white American who would not have been caught utilizing racial profiling is John Walker Lindh. Mr. Lindh had joined Al Qaeda, fought with Taliban soldiers, and was captured in Afghanistan along with two other American men by American Soldiers (CNN, 2001). Mr. Lindh nor his two co-conspirators were not and would not have been stopped or detained through racial profiling even though they were members of a terrorist organization. They had even made statements in support of the September (9/11) bombing of the World Trade Centers. A more effective means of profiling would be behavioral profiling. Law enforcement officials should look for behaviors that do not fit a particular environment. Ronald Burns (2009) alludes to those in security looking for things that do not fit. For example, someone waiting to go through security checks at the airport who is sweating profusely even though it is cold; those who are walking in a manner which may lead you to suspect that they are wearing an explosive belt; or some other bulky item underneath their clothes which interferes with the way they are walking. According to Yuval Bezherano, Vice President of New Age Security Solutions, this behavioral pattern recognition which is modeled after methods used in Israel is much more effective and could be taught (Burns, 2009). This method was used to catch Anne-Marie Murphy, an Irish female who was five months pregnant and carrying explosives in her carryon bag even though she had previously cleared three security checkpoints at Londons Heathrow Airport (Burns, 2009). The Security Guards questioned why a woman so far along in her pregnancy would be traveling without a companion and where would she be staying? Anne-Marie provided the name of the Hilton Hotel in Bethlehem which did not exist at that time. Behavioral profiling instead of racial profiling is more effective because terrorist organizations often recruit outside of th eir race to individuals or groups who are sympathetic to their cause and who can elude racist profiles (Harcourt, 2006). The three White American men captured in Afghanistan working with Al Qaeda serves as an example. One can only imagine the harm these individuals could have caused had the Military not caught them since they were not listed as terrorist. To further their cause, Al Qaeda will collaborate with other nationalities to circumvent the tendencies that the American law enforcement officials have of utilizing racial profiling. Studies on racial profiling confirm that it is a less effective way of apprehending would be criminals or terrorist; it alienates officers with the very members of the community who could help them (Head, 2012). Racial profiling is a blatant violation of the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments yet it is commonly used by Law Enforcement as a tool for targeting suspected criminals regardless of whether the individuals are actually engaged in criminal activities. Individuals are subjected to unlawful search and seizures based upon their ethnicity, not upon their behaviors. We have seen that those of color are treated differently from their white counterparts. When White America is subjected to the same biases of racial profiling then, we will see an end to this violation of the U.S. Constitution. Law enforcement official would do better and probably be more successful should they adopt behavioral profiling instead of racial profiling as a more reliable means of apprehending would-be crimin als and terrorist. References ACLU. (2010, June 29). Racial profiling is ineffective, distracting, and detrimental to public safety. Retrieved September 28, 2012, from American Civil Liberties Union: http://www.aclu.org/print/blog/racial-justice/racial-profiling-ineffective-distracting-and-detrimental-public-safety Burns, R. G. (2009). Critical issues in criminal justice. Upper Saddle River: Pearson Prentice Hall. CNN. (2001, March 29). Special Forces: Timothy McVeigh. Retrieved November 28, 2010, from CNN U.S.: http://articles.cnn.com/2001-03-29/us/profile.mcveigh_1_timothy-mcveigh-oklahoma-city-bombing-religion-basic-training-fort-bragg/2?_s=PM:US CNN, N. (2001, December 19). John Walker Lindh profile: The case of the Taliban American. Retrieved November 28, 2012, from People in the news: http://www.cnn.com/CNN/Programs/people/shows/walker/profile.html Harcourt, B. E. (2006). Muslim profiles 9/11: Is racial profiling an effective counterterrorist measure and does it violate the right to be free from discrimination? Chicago: The Law School University of Chicago. Head, T. (2012, April 09). Why racial profiling is a bad idea: Top 7 arguments against racial profiling. Retrieved October 04, 2012, from About.Com Civil Liberties: http://civilliberty.about.com/od/lawenforcementterrorism/tp/Against-Racial-Profiling.htm Pollock, J. M. (2012). Ethical Dilemmas Decisions in Criminal Justice (7th Edition). Belmont: Wadsworth Cengage Learning. Savive, W. (2012, January 12). Dimensions of racial profiling institutionalized racism in the U.S. Retrieved November 28, 2012, from Savives Corner: http://willsavive.blogspot.com/2012/01/dimensions-of-racial-profiling.html Spitzer, E. (1999). The New York City Police Department stop and frisk practices: A report to the people of New York. New York: Attorney General of the State of New York.

The Publishing Career of Isabella Whitney Essay -- Author Writer Isabe

The Publishing Career of Isabella Whitney The English Renaissance was a time of great literature. The world was changing and people were exploring their boundaries. In a time of such opportunity, women were often excluded. For instance, it was very difficult for women to receive education. Even if they did, it was extremely difficult for them to be accepted as writers and nearly impossible to have their work published. Only a small number of women writers succeeded in having their works published because of the many social barriers. One of the few women to overcome these obstacles was Isabella Whitney. She grew up in a middle-class family in Cheshire, England. Little is known about her family except that she was the sister of the Protestant poet Geoffrey Whitney, who wrote Choice of Emblems (Todd). She worked for aristocratic households where she encountered many opportunities to learn, but she was never formally educated (Krontiris). In addition to this self-education, she spent a lot of time reading, which enriched her knowledge. During the Renaissance, it was looked down on when women read anything other than the Bible. People thought that women must have Divine intervention to guide their interpretations of literature; if they did not they were looked at suspiciously (Krontiris). This shows that during the English Renaissance women were viewed as being basically incompetent. They were not thought of as even being capable enough to read something and interpret it for themselves. Knowing this, Whitney had a lot of obstacles to overcome in order to be a successful poet. She tried to avoid criticism in many different ways. For instance, Isabella Whitney was the first professional woman poet in British literatu... ... make a way for themselves. It is strange to think about what the world would be like today if not for women like Isabella Whitney. If not for her, women might still be prohibited from publishing their written works. She and the women who followed in her footsteps created the opening of minds that allowed the possibility of women’s equality to men. I am sure Whitney had no idea the impact she would make not only on literature, but on women, and the world. Works Cited Clark, Danielle. The Politics of Early Modern Women’s Writing. England. Pearson Education Limited, 2001. Krontiris, Tina. Oppositional Voices: Women As Writers and Translators of Literature in the English Renaissance. London. New York: Routledge Publishing, 1992. Todd, Janet. British Women Writers A Critical Reference Guide. Continuum New York: Continuum Publishing Company, 1989. The Publishing Career of Isabella Whitney Essay -- Author Writer Isabe The Publishing Career of Isabella Whitney The English Renaissance was a time of great literature. The world was changing and people were exploring their boundaries. In a time of such opportunity, women were often excluded. For instance, it was very difficult for women to receive education. Even if they did, it was extremely difficult for them to be accepted as writers and nearly impossible to have their work published. Only a small number of women writers succeeded in having their works published because of the many social barriers. One of the few women to overcome these obstacles was Isabella Whitney. She grew up in a middle-class family in Cheshire, England. Little is known about her family except that she was the sister of the Protestant poet Geoffrey Whitney, who wrote Choice of Emblems (Todd). She worked for aristocratic households where she encountered many opportunities to learn, but she was never formally educated (Krontiris). In addition to this self-education, she spent a lot of time reading, which enriched her knowledge. During the Renaissance, it was looked down on when women read anything other than the Bible. People thought that women must have Divine intervention to guide their interpretations of literature; if they did not they were looked at suspiciously (Krontiris). This shows that during the English Renaissance women were viewed as being basically incompetent. They were not thought of as even being capable enough to read something and interpret it for themselves. Knowing this, Whitney had a lot of obstacles to overcome in order to be a successful poet. She tried to avoid criticism in many different ways. For instance, Isabella Whitney was the first professional woman poet in British literatu... ... make a way for themselves. It is strange to think about what the world would be like today if not for women like Isabella Whitney. If not for her, women might still be prohibited from publishing their written works. She and the women who followed in her footsteps created the opening of minds that allowed the possibility of women’s equality to men. I am sure Whitney had no idea the impact she would make not only on literature, but on women, and the world. Works Cited Clark, Danielle. The Politics of Early Modern Women’s Writing. England. Pearson Education Limited, 2001. Krontiris, Tina. Oppositional Voices: Women As Writers and Translators of Literature in the English Renaissance. London. New York: Routledge Publishing, 1992. Todd, Janet. British Women Writers A Critical Reference Guide. Continuum New York: Continuum Publishing Company, 1989.

So Far From God Essays -- essays research papers

Eisenhower, John S. D. So Far From God: The U. S. War with Mexico 1846 – 1848. New York: Random House, 1989, xxvi, 436. Mr. John Eisenhower is a retired Army General from Westchester, Pennsylvania. He is also the son of retired General and later President, Dwight D. Eisehower. He is an author as well as a military historian. Mr. Eisenhower’s other works include, The Bitter Woods, published in 1987 and critically acclaimed by Life magazine author, S. L. A. Marshall as being â€Å"written with power by a true military historian.† Reviews of his work from The New Yorker and New York Times Book Review describe his accounts as â€Å"Exceptionally interesting† and â€Å"Written with enthusiasm that is hard to resist.† Using his military background, Mr. Eisenhower was able to bring an unbiased opinion to the U. S. war with Mexico by pointing out strengths and weaknesses on both sides of the conflict. The author’s purpose is to provide a more accurate account of the war with Mexico from 1846 – 1848. Mr. Eisenhower also attempts to give the reader a better understanding of the conflict between these two countries, which has been overshadowed by the Civil War, thirteen years later. John Eisenhower’s portrayal of the officers and politicians in this conflict is detailed and it highlights the early careers of many of our Civil War legends. The technology of warfare at this time is well depicted. The advances in American artillery such as the use of the grape shot over canister rounds, the superior d...

Multimedia :: science

Multimedia As a technology, it is called multimedia. As a revolution, it is the sum of many revolutions wrapped into one: A revolution in communication that combines the audio visual power of television, the publishing power of the printing press, and the interactive power of the computer. Multimedia is the convergence of these different professions, once thought independent of one another, coming together to form a new technological approach to the way information and ideas are shared. What will society look like under the evolving institutions of interactive multimedia technologies? Well, if the 1980’s were a time for media tycoons, the 1990’s will be for the self-styled visionaries. These gurus see a dawning digital age in which the humble television will mutate into a two-way medium for a vast amount of information and entertainment. We can expect to see: movies-on-demand, video games, databases, educational programming, home shopping, telephone services, telebanking, teleconferencing, even the complex simulations of virtual reality. This souped-up television will itself be a powerful computer. This, many believe, will be the world’s biggest media group, letting consumers tune into anything, anywhere, anytime. The most extraordinary thing about the multimedia boom, is that so many moguls are spending such vast sums to develop digital technologies, for the delivering of programs and services which are still largely hypothetical. So what is behind such grand prophecies? Primarily, two technological advances known as digitization (including digital compression), and fibre optics. Both are indispensable to the high-speed networks that will deliver dynamic new services to homes and offices. Digitization means translating information, either video, audio, or text, into ones and zeros, which make it easier to send, store, and manipulate. Compression squeezes this information so that more of it can be sent using a given amount of transmission capacity or bandwidth. Fibre-optic cables are producing a vast increase in the amount of bandwidth available. Made of glass so pure that a sheet of it 70 miles thick would be as clear as a window-pane, and the solitary strand of optical fibre the width of a human hair can carry 1,000 times as much information as all radio frequencies put together. This expansion of bandwidth is what is making two-way communication, or interactivity, possible. Neither digitization nor fibre optics is new. But it was only this year that America’s two biggest cable-TV owners, TCI and Time Warner , said they would spend $2 billion and $5 billion respectively to deploy both technologies in their systems, which together serve a third of America’s 60m cable homes. Multimedia :: science Multimedia As a technology, it is called multimedia. As a revolution, it is the sum of many revolutions wrapped into one: A revolution in communication that combines the audio visual power of television, the publishing power of the printing press, and the interactive power of the computer. Multimedia is the convergence of these different professions, once thought independent of one another, coming together to form a new technological approach to the way information and ideas are shared. What will society look like under the evolving institutions of interactive multimedia technologies? Well, if the 1980’s were a time for media tycoons, the 1990’s will be for the self-styled visionaries. These gurus see a dawning digital age in which the humble television will mutate into a two-way medium for a vast amount of information and entertainment. We can expect to see: movies-on-demand, video games, databases, educational programming, home shopping, telephone services, telebanking, teleconferencing, even the complex simulations of virtual reality. This souped-up television will itself be a powerful computer. This, many believe, will be the world’s biggest media group, letting consumers tune into anything, anywhere, anytime. The most extraordinary thing about the multimedia boom, is that so many moguls are spending such vast sums to develop digital technologies, for the delivering of programs and services which are still largely hypothetical. So what is behind such grand prophecies? Primarily, two technological advances known as digitization (including digital compression), and fibre optics. Both are indispensable to the high-speed networks that will deliver dynamic new services to homes and offices. Digitization means translating information, either video, audio, or text, into ones and zeros, which make it easier to send, store, and manipulate. Compression squeezes this information so that more of it can be sent using a given amount of transmission capacity or bandwidth. Fibre-optic cables are producing a vast increase in the amount of bandwidth available. Made of glass so pure that a sheet of it 70 miles thick would be as clear as a window-pane, and the solitary strand of optical fibre the width of a human hair can carry 1,000 times as much information as all radio frequencies put together. This expansion of bandwidth is what is making two-way communication, or interactivity, possible. Neither digitization nor fibre optics is new. But it was only this year that America’s two biggest cable-TV owners, TCI and Time Warner , said they would spend $2 billion and $5 billion respectively to deploy both technologies in their systems, which together serve a third of America’s 60m cable homes.

To Kill a Mocking Bird

In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mocking Bird, Atticus Finch possesses many characteristics that shape him as a man, a lawyer and a father. Atticus is a wise man, devoted to justice and equality, and who feels it is his duty to live his public life as he does his private life. Atticus is also a very honest and loving father who has nothing but the best intentions for his children, Scout and Jem. Atticus is devoted to putting his legal profession before his self-image, or public perception, and is able to realize that the individual worth of a man without incorporating physical appearances.All the positive characteristics Atticus Finch possesses contribute to the reason why he is very respected and liked by most of the people of Macomb County as well as his family and close friends. Atticus living his public life as he does his private life defines what he stands for and holds a duty he feels is important for him to fulfill as a man. When Atticus and Sherriff Heck Tate discuss what ca used Bob Ewell’s death the night he attacked Jem and Scout, the Sheriff tells Atticus that Bob killed himself when he fell on his knife.However, Atticus does not believe Heck and he believes that Jem killed Bob and tells Heck Tate â€Å"If they [Scout and Jem] hear me saying downtown something different happened-Heck I wont have them anymore. I cant live one way in town and another way in my home. †(367) This quote shows Atticus is willing and devoted to make any sacrifice to live an honest and unconcealed life including letting the public know, Jem killed Bob Ewell.Atticus always tries to be the best father he can by trying to get his kids to notice and appreciate all of the good things that are present in the world even in such a prejudice and discriminatory town such as Maycomb during the 1930’s. When Atticus and Jem are talking about the recently deceased Mrs. Dubose, Atticus tells Jem. â€Å"Courage is not a man with a gun in his hand. It is knowing you're licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what. You rarely win, but sometimes you do. †(149) By telling this to Jem Atticus taught Jem an important life lesson.He taught Jem success is not always about winning, but instead just trying to fight for a good cause. Atticus believed you were successful if you fought for a good cause, even if you failed. Atticus is committed to always doing the right thing when it comes to his profession whether it means he will be risking his reputation or even his life. This trait of Atticus is clearly demonstrated when Scout questions Atticus about the Tom Robinson case and says, â€Å"Atticus, are we going to win it† and he replies â€Å"No, honey† which leads to her question â€Å"Then why-† (101).Atticus is revealing to Scout that even though he has more to lose than to gain out of this situation he is accepting of that because he is doing what his conscience is telling him is the noble , fair thing to do, and he is trying to ignore all the negative influences that appears to him in Maycomb County. This is also revealed when Atticus is protecting Tom from a group of dangerous men who are looking for revenge outside the jail. Atticus holds them off and risks his own safety to protect Tom because he knew Tom did not deserve what those men outside the jail were looking to do to him that night. Atticus is a humble, honest and devoted man.He is one of the few people in society who puts the needs of others before himself. By sharing the characteristics he acquired over many years with his children he is supporting them with the foundation to living a morally good life according to the standards of what they believe is right and wrong and not what it is made out to be by society. By sharing his knowledge and skills as a lawyer with those who are wrongfully convicted he is establishing justice in those parts in which justice seems not to exist. Atticus Finch is a man of go od moral who sets a perfect example for those who are looking for a role model, a hero, and a loving father. To kill a mocking bird To Kill a Mockingbird Courage cannot be defined with simple words but rather by an individual's actions. Despite many different definitions courage is someone's internal fortitude to do something that may frighten others. In To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, Gem's definition of courage changes from the beginning to the end of the book. At the beginning of the book Gem's definition of courage is from an innocent perspective and by the end of the book Gem has an experienced definition of courage.Gem learns the lea definition of courage from it being demonstrated in his everyday life in Macomb. At the beginning of Harper Lee's , To Kill a Mockingbird Gem shows a naive, innocent view of courage because of his fears. Dill dears Gem to touch the Raddled house, which has always been one of his worst fears. Gem displays courage by touching the Raddled and hides his angst when reporting back to Dill and Scout. Gem dreads touching the Raddled house only because of his scary childlike imagi nation. Lee writes,†Gem threw open the gate and sped to the side of the house, slapped it with is alma and ran back past us†(118).Gem's courage comes into play when he is told to do something he terrifies by his peers. Gem continues to demonstrate an innocent perspective of courage in the early part of the novel. Gem still has an inexperienced view of courage because he is still at a youth and is immature to his surroundings. Gem's youthful imagination forms ideas to get in contact with the horrifying Boo Raddled. He decides to put a note on a fishing pole and stick it threw the Raddled window. The note was asking Boo out for ice cream, so the children can meet him.Harper Lee says, â€Å"Were asking him real politely to come out sometimes, and tell us what he does in there – we said we wouldn't hurt him and we'd buy him an ice cream† (62). Gem's perspective of courage is slowly starting to advance because he was scared to death when he first went on the Rad dled property. Gem demonstrates an innocent perspective on courage by engaging in childish games but he begins to learn the real view of courage by witnessing his dad in action. Gem believes Tactics doesn't have courage until he shoots the Mad Dog to save the community from harm, UT Gem's view is still a naive one.The Mad Dog is beginning to approach in the distance when Officer Heck Tate throws Tactics the gun. Tactics takes the gun and walks to the center of the street showing no hesitation. Even though Tactics hasn't shot a gun in 30 years he kills Mad Dog with a single shot showing an outrageous amount of courage. Lee states, â€Å"In the fog, Gem watched our father take the gun and walk out into the middle of the street† (127). Tactics has an abundant amount of courage, even to something that he hasn't done in 30 years. Although Gem thinksTactics shooting the dog is courageous, he learns the real definition through the actions of Mrs.. Dubos. Gem's adult definition of co urage is beginning to form from experience in the Macomb community. Gem learns the real definition of courage from Mrs.. Dubos who was a recovering morphine addict . Mrs.. Dubos makes a goal for herself to die free of her weakness. She dies UN-addicted to morphine and she is Gem's real definition of courage. Harper Lee says, â€Å"When you are licked before you begin but you begin anyway and see it through no matter what† (119).Mrs.. Double's fight exemplifies to Gem, no matter how hard something looks to never give up. Mrs.. Dubos didn't give up on her morphine addiction and came out on top. Mrs.. Debase teaches Gem the true definition of courage, and Gem does a fantastic Job exemplifying it in front of the courthouse. Gem is beginning to have an experienced adult like sense of courage. In front of the courthouse Tactics is sitting one night and the mob shows up asking to see Tom Robinson. Gem and the kids run to Tactics because they knew his life is in danger.Tactics tells the kids to leave and Gem shows an extraordinary amount of courage saying that he wasn't leaving. A mob member grabbers Gem telling Tactics he will make him leave. Scout stares kicking the man in the shins and eventually put Gem down. Gem still refuses to leave his father and tells him we are staying. Lee says† Tactics stood trying to make Gem mind him. I ant going was his steady answer to Attic's threat request and finally † please take them home Gem† (204). Gem not leaving his fathers side until the mob departed shows how courageous Gem is becoming.Gem demonstrates an innocent perspective on courage by engaging in childish games, but he begins to learn the real view of courage witnessing his dad in action. Gem is beginning to demonstrate a more experienced sense of courage, from confronting the mob to saving Scout from Bob Lowell. Although Gem previously had a naive perspective of courage he now has a more experienced and adult like sense of courage. Gem and Scou t are attacked when walking home from the Halloween play. Gem pushes Bob Lowell off of Scout saving her from any serious injuries.If Gem didn't push Bob Lowell off of Scout then he would eve mostly likely stabbed and killed her. Gem Jumped in and freed Scout from being harmed potentially in any way. Harper Lee states, â€Å"His stomach was soft but his arms were like steel. He slowly squeezed the breath out of me. I could not move. Suddenly he Jerked me back and forth to the ground, almost carrying me with him† (351). Gem will not let Bob Lowell hurt his little sister in anyway so he does everything in his power to protect her from being injured. After Gem learns the real actions of courage and has an experienced view he saves Scout from Bob Lowell. To Kill a Mocking Bird Harper Lee’s To kill a mockingbird was written to portray the racism and the moral conscience of the mind within society. It is set in the 1930’s which is after the Great Depression and a starting movement for the Civil Rights fight in the USA. The novel was written in the 1960’s portraying the universal contextual issues of racism existed then and even now. Lee uses multiple narrative techniques to explore the major inequality and injustice of life but also allow the audience to know that these contextual ideas and issues can be broken and change. Maycomb is set up by Lee to reflect the racism of society as well as its injustice and inequality that many ‘black’ men and women faced in the 1930’s – 1960’s. Tom Robinson, an African American that has been created by Lee to become the symbol of the injustice and inequality of Maycomb. The town ceases to acknowledge the equality and justice of life and conform to racism like most towns and countries at the time. The handful of people in this town who say that fair play is not marked White Only†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Lee’s use of innuendo portrays Maycomb as an ignorant town, with racism mixed within their everyday lives and the racial inequalities that are given to all African American. Lee’s uses of dialogues distinguish the racial segregation between the white and black people of Maycomb and the social class that they are categorised as. Harper Lee shows the juxtaposition of the two different races by portraying it through their dialogues, th is is most effectively shown through the court scene when Tom Robinson was being crossed examine by Mr Gilmer. Tom answers always start with â€Å"Yes, sir† whereas Mr Gilmer refers to him as a â€Å"boy†, this use of slang juxtaposes to the formal high classed words of Tom’s which conveyed the audience the contrast between a white and black American and suggests that a white skinned person is not any better than an African American. The juxtaposition also allowed the readers to sympathised with Tom Robinson and feel outraged as Tom is being called a ‘boy’. Emphasising the racial segregation of the 1930’s when the Great Depression drove fear into the white people and made them believe that the African Americans are taking over their jobs. Symbols are also used to convey the audience about the racial injustice and inequality that life has created. A â€Å"mockingbird† has been killed when Tom was convicted and shot in jail; the symbolism of a mockingbird is Harper Lee's representation of an innocent, kind hearted being and a ‘sin’ is put upon the white racist people of Maycomb. Another ymbolism is the ‘roly-poly’ inside the Finches’ house, when Scout wanted to crushed it, Jem told her: â€Å"They don’t bother you† the assonance of the letter ‘o’ echoes an angelic sound, this also symbolises Tom Robinson as he doesn’t bother anyone but due to his skin colour he is treated differently, just like the ‘roly-poly’ in Scout’s room, it canâ€⠄¢t help itself but be who it is. The use of these symbols throughout the novel creates a nature motif, highlighting that the nature is harmonised and peaceful in its own way. These symbols and motifs effectively highlight the racism of society and its influences on the injustice of life. The trial of Tom Robinson resonate the injustice that most African American suffered in the USA in 1930’s. The justice system that said to give all men of all race in the USA fair justice fail to do its job and was shown through the jury and the racial inequality that they gave Tom Robinson. â€Å"When it’s a white man’s words against a black man’s, the white man always wins† Lee’s use of repetition of the word ‘white’ and ‘man’ further emphasises the injustice of the social order and also allows the audience to experience and be able to feel the empathy for the African American. The white jury symbolises the injustice and racial inequality prejudice that has been created for the society. Though Atticus had proved to the jury that Tom was innocent and the evidences are undeniable, they still convicted Tom as guilty though inside, they know it’s them that are guilty. The oxymoron, ‘They couldn’t be fair if they tried’ holds a contradictory thought, suggesting that racism has been weaved into the fabric of the town and the justice system; hence the men couldn’t be fair. Even though the town is contaminated with its injustice and racism, Lee still allows some hope to shine. The character Atticus is an example of this. Lee portrays Atticus throughout the novel as a responsible father, a fine citizen and the most compassionate person within the small town. â€Å"The shadow of a new beginning† this metaphor said by Atticus allows Lee to reflect the society of 1960’s and even today’s society. The use of shadow suggests that a new beginning is approaching because shadows are always connected to its owner and it is always nearby. This also shows that Atticus has the most moral within Maycomb and that with his teachings, Jem and Scout would be able to be the new generation of hope that would stop the segregation. Lee uses the character developments of Scout to present the innocence and pure thoughts of a child in contrast to the growing up Jem who is starting to learn the way life works and that it is classified. â€Å"There’s four kinds of folks in the world. † – Jem the quote suggests the segregation and its inequality as to how people are categorised and divided, this is all due to the racism and social inequality. However, Scout said: â€Å"I think there’s just one kind of folks. Folks. † this quote shows the naive thinking and an innocent perspective of a child, helping Lee to convey to the audience that life is not always that easy, but there are some sparks of hope for the racist and injustice society of the USA. Harper Lee was able to display the segregation of race and the injustice of life through To kill a mocking bird shows that the moral conscience is the most important aspects a human can possess. Atticus, Universal contextual issues†¦ To kill a mocking bird represents the racism that everyday lives hold. Harper Lee showed the contextual issues within society through multiple uses of narrative techniques. Racism, the injustice of society and the human’s * Tom Robinson, a black man becomes the victim of racial inequality as he was accused by Bob Ewell, a white trash, of a crime that he did not commit. Harper Lee’s To kill a mocking bird represents