The Value Of Small Group Interaction In Teaching Education Essay

Collaborative acquisition, synergism acquisition, small-group acquisition, and concerted acquisition seem to be the new cants used by faculty members. This is due to the intensifying involvement over the past few old ages, with respect to the different attacks to learning and larning. Particularly the passage from individualistic to collaborative acquisition manners has been under huge examination as university module members and decision makers are rediscovering the construct of ‘two caputs being better than one ‘ . The involvement is been chiefly incited at a graduate student degree, where the key purposes are to develop the ability of pupils to believe critically, enhance mutuality and arrive at a socially constructed apprehension of the stuff provided. In add-on, alterations in organisational substructure have resulted in an increased accent on squad work within the work force. Consequently, the acquisition manner implemented at postgraduate degree is critical as it i s the stepping rock into the universe of work. This reappraisal aims to measure the value of little group interaction in the instruction and acquisition procedure. Specifically, this reappraisal will measure how this method impacts learning and larning at a postgraduate degree. More specifically, in this reappraisal little group interaction includes collaborative acquisition, concerted acquisition, every bit good as equal acquisition. The history of this method of acquisition will be looked at first to give a clearer image of how it has evolved since its origin. Cardinal footings will so be defined, as they are applicable in this reappraisal, to guarantee apprehension of the most of import constructs occurs from the start. This will be followed by the theories that have developed, the advantages, and so the restrictions on the subject, so that a clear statement can be developed. Therefore, it will be determined whether collaborative methods consequence in the enhanced value of learning and larning at postgraduate degree. This pro be is greatly needed at a higher instruction level- as it is a topographic point where the competition is rife, clip force per unit areas are high and there is a great trade of external force per unit area to develop the leaders of tomorrow.2. History of collaborative acquisitionAlthough the history of collaborative acquisition is really unelaborated, it is non a comparatively new method of larning. It appears likely that people have been larning informally in groups for 1000s of old ages ( McInnerney & A ; Roberts, 2004 ) . Kimber ( 1994 ) states that collaborative acquisition was foremost instituted in Greek and Roman schools and coincides with the doctrine of Socratic larning – when pupils ‘ inquiring and discourse were emphasized. Johnson, Johnson, and Holubec ( 1993 ) stated the Roman philosopher, Seneca showed support for concerted acquisition through statements such as: Qui Docet Discet ( when you teach, you learn twice ) . Kimber ( 1996 ) and Johnson et Al ( 1993 ) province that concerted acquisition came into prominence in the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries in Europe and England. During this period Joseph Lancaster and Andrew Bell made extended usage of `monitorial ‘ systems which were devised to enable big Numberss of pupils gain simple instruction at post-industrial revolution schools which were missing in trained instructors. Student ‘monitors ‘ were used to learn other disadvantaged or younger students. Similarly, in the early 19th century concerted acquisition gained popularity among pedagogues across a spectrum of didactic Fieldss. In the late 1930 ‘s, nevertheless, interpersonal competition began to be emphasized in schools and in the late sixtiess, individualistic acquisition began to be used extensively. In the 1980s, schools one time once more began to utilize concerted acquisition. The work of Johnson, Johnson and Smith ( 1991 ) transferred the value of active acquisition to the university degree and argued that big schoolrooms could besides be transformed to go student-centered learning environments. In 1989, a workshop was held in Maratea, Italy. This workshop is considered by many to hold marked the birth of the field of computer-supported collaborative acquisition ( Bereiter, 2002 ; Stahl, Koschmann, & A ; Suthers, 2006 ; Lipponen, 2002 ) . Additionally in 1996, Koschmann ( 1996 ) suggested computer-supported collaborative acquisition ( CSCL ) as an emerging theoretical account of educational engineering and CSCL has been progressing of all time since.3. Definition of footingsCollaborative acquisition has been established in a assortment of ways over clip in a spectrum of academic Fieldss. In the broadest sense, collaborative acquisition is defined by Dillenbourg ( 1999, p.1 ) as â€Å" a state of affairs in which two or more people learn or attempt to larn something together. † The ‘two or more people ‘ referred to in the definition above, is applicable in equal acquisition as â€Å" person of the same societal standing † ( Falchikov, 2001, p.1 ) , which in an educational context implies person â€Å" within the same category or cohort † ( Falchikov, p.3 ) . For illustration, pupils presently finishing their Masters Degree in Human Resource Management who web and addition cognition from interaction with each other are prosecuting in equal acquisition. Common to the assorted definitions of collaborative acquisition is that accent is placed on the thought of joint building of cognition and common battle of participants ( Lipponen, 2002 ) . In this reappraisal the footings collaborative acquisition and concerted acquisition are used interchangeably. However, a differentiation between the two must be noted. The former involves the joint battle of pupils, at assorted public presentation degrees, in a co-ordinated attempt to work out the job together ( Panitz, 1996 ) . The latter is accomplished by agencies of the division of labour, pupils work together in little groups to carry through a common end, whereby each individual is responsible for a fraction of the job resolution ( Roschelle & A ; Teasly, in imperativeness ; Cooper, McKinney, and Robinson ( 1991 ) ; Gokhale 1995 ) . In add-on, Dillenbourg, Baker, Blaye and O'Malley ( 1996 ) indicate that basically the two differ by virtuousness of the manner the undertaking is divided: in concerted acquisition, the undertaking is split hierarchically into independent subtasks ; in collaborative acquisition, the cognitive patterned advance may be heterarchially divided into int ertwined beds. When utilizing the footings collaborative or cooperative larning interchangeably, the definition applicable, as stated by ( Yazici, 2005, p.217 ) is: â€Å" the instructional usage of little groups or squads where equal interaction plays a cardinal function in larning † . Additionally, Dillenbourgh ( 1999 ) contends that collaborative acquisition can be understood as a pedagogical method or a psychological procedure. Collaborative acquisition in a pedagogical sense is normative: one asks two or more people to join forces because it is expected they will in this mode learn expeditiously. In the psychological sense it is descriptive: one observes that two or more people have gained cognition and coaction is viewed as the mechanism which caused the acquisition. In this reappraisal, collaborative acquisition will be applied in the pedagogical sense with respect to postgraduate degree acquisition.4. Learning at graduate student degreeThere are considerable differences in the purposes and methods of instruction and acquisition at undergraduate and postgraduate degree of instruction ( Lave & A ; Wenger, 1991 ; Barnacle, 2005 ; Donnelly, 2008 ; Butler,1993 ) . The cardinal purpose at postgraduate degree is to come on the ability of pupils to believe criticall y ( Jones, Michael, Gear, & A ; Read, 2006 ) . The procedure referred to as ‘post-conventional believing ‘ by Ashley ( 1973 as cited in Jones et al 2006 ) is critical in carry throughing this purpose. He defines it as a procedure â€Å" during which the pupil is able to travel from a place of noncritical credence of the orthodox to one of originative dissent, a procedure that stretches the mind and encourages the outgrowth of new or revised ways of thought † ( Ashley, as cited in Jones et Al, p.379 ) . Collaborative larning Fosters this procedure as it stretches the mind and encourages the outgrowth of advanced or revised ways of thought ( Ladyshewsky, 2006 ; Jones et Al, 2006 ) . Similarly, Machemer and Crawford ( 2007 ) argue that the traditional talk method of learning has two important failings at postgraduate degree. First, it promotes pupil passiveness which does non heighten or prolong the pupils ‘ acquisition. Second, the extremist alterations and elaborateness of the information makes it hard to draw-up talks that cover the necessary deepness, comprehensiveness and advanced cognition required. Conversely, a survey conducted in graduate student medical instruction resulted in both collaborative acquisition and the traditional talk method being every bit effectual in bettering the cognition degrees of pupils ( Smits, De Buisonje , Verbeek, Van Dijk, Metz, and Cate, 2003 ) . Therefore, when sing execution of collaborative acquisition methods, the context which it is to be applied every bit good as the construct of battle should be taken into history. The construct of battle is cardinal to successful acquisition at postgraduate degree ( Jungst, Licklider, and Wiersma, 2003 ) . Consequently as cited by Jungst et Al. it is in the active acquisition environment that a deeper degree of understanding and true acquisition occurs, larning that can be transferred to the universe outside of the schoolroom. In add-on, at postgraduate degree, pupils transform as societal agents and signifier individualities as scholars, professionals and, more widely, as members of society ( Havness, 2008 ) . However, antecedently O'Donell, Tobell, and Zammit ( 2007 ) argued that the nature of passage from undergraduate to postgraduate survey is less ambitious and there is small to get the better of because, in kernel, the environment remains the same. After farther survey, O'Donell et Al ( 2009 ) concluded that there should be greater independent survey by pupils at postgraduate degree and farther synergistic workshop-style instruction, taking to knowledge and understanding which is socially constructed instead than passively received.( Beginning: Stahl, 2000, p.71 )In add-on to knowledge being socially constructed, Stahl ( 2000 ) states that cognition should be personally constructed every bit good. Stahl farther explains that the diagram aims to associate the person and the societal facets in the knowledge-building procedure. This procedure begins with the rhythm of personal apprehension. The staying parts of the diagram exemplify how the person ‘s personal beliefs and civilization are influenced by other people ‘s values, beliefs and point of views ( societal procedure ) . A shared civilization is so formed, which impacts on the personal apprehension, as it takes form through act uponing the ways of thought, diverseness influences, every bit good as motivational concerns. The procedure is initiated once more when the new civilization adopted by the single influences others as he / she interacts with different groups of people. However, to guarantee that a knowledge-building procedure does in fact occur, the pros and cons of collaborative acquisition should be weighed up.5. Advantages of collaborative acquisitionFor the successful passage to take topographic point, a great trade of research sing the result of collaborative acquisition in contrast to traditional instructional patterns has been conducted ( Kimber, 1994 ) . Instructor-centered methods of learning can non adequately impact the complex results ( job work outing accomplishments ; higher order believing accomplishments ; the ability to hold a diverse positions view ; ethical logical thinking ; and life-long acquisition ) that a postgraduate pupil requires ( Jungst et al, 2003 ) . Numerous surveies look intoing higher instruction conclude that pupils who follow in-class collaborative acquisition processs and actively collaborate with each other are more satisfied with their acquisition experience and consequence in greater positive results when compared to pupils who are exposed to the traditional talk method ( Kimber, 1994 ; Alavi, 1994 ) . Consequently, this satisfaction consequences from interpersonal relationships which are developed and enhanced through group acquisition ( Johnson et al, 1991 ) . Another factor lending to the satisfaction of collaborative acquisition methods is that it is per se motivative, as each single member is critical to procuring a productive, concerted acquisition pattern ( Havness, 2008 ) . Andrews ‘ ( 1992 ) work with larning squads confirms the position that greater satisfaction is experienced as collaborative larning improves assurance and supports the acquisition procedure. Additionally, Johnson & A ; Johnson ( 1994 ) concluded that concerted larning systematically produced higher tonss of self-efficiency than did individualistic conditions. Besides greater satisfaction is achieved since equals are at an equal degree and therefore can be more unfastened and explore to the full the countries of cognitive struggle ( Ladyshewsky, 2006 ) . This satisfaction experienced consequences in avidity to larn ( Kimber, 1994 ) . In add-on, the degree of equality with equals encourages greater dynamic battle in the acquisition procedure and building of cognition with deeper apprehension ( Alavi, 1994 ) . Attainment of greater understanding consequences in longer keeping of information and turning away of abrasion ( Cooper, 1990 ) . As a consequence, job resolution accomplishments are enhanced and it consequences in higher order thought ( Jaarsma, De Graves, and Muijtjens, 2008 ) . Likewise, Mazen, Jones, and Sergenian ( 2000 ) further supports the importance of group acquisition by indicating out that by working hand in glove, pupils can heighten accomplishments and advanced ways of believing which will ensue in group procedure additions. When working hand in glove, the issue of diverseness must non be forgotten. Escalating Numberss of postgraduate pupils from diverse backgrounds with changing positions and readings are holding a profound consequence on concerted acquisition ( Booth, Bowie, Jordan, and Rippin, 2000 ) . Wyss-Flamm ( 2002 ) points out that the outgrowth of ‘difference ‘ is indispensable to larning. Exposure to the differences can elicit the demand to try to come in each other ‘s heads and therefore larning something for which the tool of conversation is priceless ( Argyris & A ; Schion, 1996 ) . Similarly, Stein and Hurd ( 2000 ) acknowledge that collaborative acquisition transforms the acquisition environment into a student-centered one, which capitalizes on the diverseness of the pupils, and lessens dependance on the professor as the individual conveyor of cognition. This can ensue in interpersonal every bit good as intrapersonal procedures interacting with each other, making chances for larning to happen within the established modus operandis ( single-loop acquisition ) or larning that requires advanced modus operandis be created ( double-loop acquisition ) ( Argyris, 1999 ) . In contrast, Foldy ( 2004 ) states that persons who are portion of diverse groups will be characterized by feelings of misgiving or non experiencing safe as they are non grouped with those similar to them. Consequently, there will be greater intra-group struggle originating. Therefore, Booth et Al. bespeak that diverseness can merely be valuable to the acquisition if the differences are recognized and appreciated. Similarly, Milliken & A ; Martins ( 1996, p. 403 ) province that diverseness in concerted larning groups can be seen as a â€Å" double-edged blade † , intending that it possesses the possible to be of great advantage, but this will merely happen if it is managed efficaciously. Extra benefits of collaborative acquisition, adapted from Nunamaker, Dennis, Valacich, Vogel, and George, ( 1991 ) , include: the group generates more information and options as compared to the mean single group member ; group larning motivates the person to execute better ; groups are more effectual and nonsubjective in rating, and in conclusion, interactions amongst group members lead to synergisms. Similarly, Boud, Cohen, and Sampson ( 2001, cited in Havnes, 2008 ) highlight five results that can peculiarly be advanced by equal acquisition schemes, these include: working with others ; critical question and contemplation ; communicating and articulation of cognition, understanding and accomplishments ; pull offing acquisition and how to larn ; self and peer appraisal. In add-on, collaborative acquisition has been found to back up greater productiveness, coevals of originative thoughts or advanced solutions, and heighten the pupils ‘ ability of societal position pickings ( Cus eo, 1992 ; Lord, 2001 ) . However it must be noted that these positive results do non predominate with all groups and in all contexts as the outlooks of group members may non conform to each other ( Felder & A ; Brent, 2001 ) or societal idleness of free equitation may happen within the group ( Mello, 1993 ) . These jobs, if experienced, can finally ensue in the devastation of the group. However, when the positive results of collaborative acquisition do transpire, it supports the constructive impact that this method of acquisition has on academic-related accomplishment ( Alavi, 1994 ) . This is farther supported by empirical grounds of improved accomplishment at postgraduate degree ( DaRos- Voseles, Onwuegbuzie, and Qun, 2008 ; Collins, Cao, and Robidoux, 2004 ) . The degrees of academic accomplishment attained are fostered by the collaborative acquisition environment as it gives pupils an chance to prosecute in treatment, take duty for their single acquisition every bit good as accomplishment of the group ‘s ends, and therefore go critical minds ( Totten, Sills, Digby, and Russ, 1991 ) . This was farther proven in a survey conducted by Gokhale ( 1995 ) .5.1 Study to find effectivity of collaborative acquisition: Gokhale 1995The intent of this survey was to find the effectivity of collaborative larning versus single acquisition as it relates to larning results achieved. The population for the survey comprised of pupils in industrial engineering, enrolled at Western Illinois University. The intervention comprised of two parts: talk and worksheet. First, a common talk was delivered to both intervention groups. Next, one subdivision was indiscriminately assigned to the â€Å" single acquisition group † while the other subdivision was assigned to the â€Å" collaborative acquisition group † . The same worksheet was given to both intervention groups. It was comprised of both drill-and-practice points ( factual cognition and comprehension ) and critical- thought points ( analysis, synthesis and rating of constructs ) . Subsequent to a statistical analysis of the trial tonss, the consequences depicted that pupils who participated in collaborative acquisition had performed significantly better on the critical-thinking trial than pupils who studied separately. It was besides found that both groups performed every bit good on the drill-and-practice trial. The collaborative acquisition medium provided pupils with chances to analyse, synthesise and measure thoughts hand in glove. Therefore, the positive results of this survey on collaborative acquisition can be applied at a graduate student degree where the cardinal purpose is for pupils to believe critically and heighten cognition and apprehension which is socially constructed ( Jones et al 2006 ) . The consequences of this survey conform to the developmental positions ( Slavin, 1995 ) of collaborative acquisition proposed by the advocates of collaborative acquisition such as Vygotsky and Piaget.5.2 Piaget ‘s Constructivist PerspectiveValidation o f concerted acquisition stems, in portion, from theories of societal mutuality ( Johnson, Johnson, and Smith, 1998 ) . Piaget ‘s socio-cognitive struggle theory provinces that kids ( or grownups ) on different degrees of cognitive development, or those persons on the same degree of cognitive development with differing positions, can prosecute in societal interaction that leads to a cognitive struggle. Through treatment with other equals, the ‘shock of our idea coming into contact with others ‘ ( Piaget, 1928 ) leads to a disequilibrium within participants. This consequences in the building of new conceptual constructions and understanding in order to reconstruct equilibrium. ( Ladyshewsky, 2006 ; Slavin, 1987 ; Lipponen, 2002 ) . The importance of collaborative acquisition can be farther understood by Vygotsky ‘s theoretical model.5.3 Vygotsky zone of proximal developmentParallel to Piaget ‘s constructivist position ( Piaget,1969 ) , Vygotsky ‘s t heoretical concept of the zone of proximal development provides strong support for the inclusion of concerted acquisition as a method of instructional scheme as it consequences in the sweetening of the acquisition that occurs. Vygotsky ( 1978 ) defines the zone of proximal development as â€Å" The distance between the existent developmental degree as determined by independent job resolution and the degree of possible development as determined through job work outing under grownup counsel or in coaction with more capable equals. † ( See figure 2 )Figure 2: Zone of Proximal DevelopmentBeginning: Harnum ( 2009 )5.4 Theory of concerted acquisitionSupporting the theory of societal mutuality, Slavin ( 1995 ) proposed a two-element theory of concerted larning comprising of positive mutuality and single answerability. Likewise, Johnson et Al. ( 1991a, 1991b ) advocated a five-component theory of concerted acquisition. Harmonizing to the theoretical account, the following five elemen ts are indispensable for maximising the long-run success of the concerted learning venture:Figure 3: Pillars of concerted acquisitionPillars of Cooperative LearningFace-to-face interactionPositive mutualityGroupprocessingIndividual AccountabilitySocialaccomplishmentsAdapted: www.foundationcoalition.orgThe presence of the five basic constituents of concerted acquisition may all be accounted for within the theoretical model provided by Vygotsky ‘s zone of proximal development. Positive Mutuality: It is the connecting of pupils reciprocally so that the person can non win unless all group members win ( Johnson, Johnson, and Smith, 1998 ) . Vygotskys ‘s theory rests upon the rule that a kid ‘s development is dependent upon interactions with other kids and grownups. Therefore, kids and grownups are developmentally dependent, and hence interdependent ( Doolittle, 1995 ) . Face-to-face interaction: Within concerted acquisition, face-to-face interaction involves pupils need to make existent work jointly in which they promote each other ‘s success by sharing resources and helping, back uping, encouraging, and acknowledging each other ‘s attempts to accomplish the group ‘s ends ( Johnson et al 1998 ) . It is interpreted in the Vygotskian system as societal mediation and encultration. Encultration refers to what is learnt, while societal mediation refers to how it is learnt. Individual answerability: It is the belief held by each person that he/she will be held responsible for his/her ain public presentation and acquisition ( Johnson et al 1998 ) . For Vygotsky, single answerability would be reflected in each group member being responsible for developing within their ain alone zone of proximal development ( Doolittle, 1995 ) . Group Processing: Group treating exists when group members discuss how good they are accomplishing their ends and measuring ways to better the productivity of all group member in accomplishing the group ends ( Johnson et al 1998 ; Doolittle, 1995 ) . Within the model of Vygotsky ‘s theory, portion of direction entails the changeless monitoring of each pupil ‘s growing within their zone of proximal development ( Doolittle, 1995 ) . This survey was inconclusive in demoing that graduate squads perform better with collaborative acquisition manners. However, the consequences for graduate pupils indicate that collaborative acquisition manner is influential in public presentation, along with competitory and participant acquisition manners. Johnson and Johnson ( 1998 ) besides conclude that alumnus pupils portray the traits of independent scholars and are enthusiastic to obtain some enterprise and lament to accept duties for their ain acquisition. Therefore, professors should be more interested to ease independent larning. Furthermore, Johnson and Johnson province that the function of facilitator or delegator ensures working with pupils in a advisory manner and sweetening of the pupils ‘ capacity to larn independently, this is similar to what is required in organisational squads.6.2 Problems with collaborative acquisition mannerDespite the positive results that have been stated, there are many jobs that exist as good ( Machemer & A ; Crawford, 2007 ) . These jobs have resulted in some professors defying to prosecute in alternate theoretical accounts for learning and larning despite holding academic freedom in their instruction manners ( Moore, 2005 ) . The jobs experienced foremost include, a slow passage from traditional to collaborative signifiers of acquisition may happen particularly with pupils who can non accommodate easy or those who are extremely immune to alter ( Kimber, 1994 ) . Second, the degree of psychological safety in the colloquial infinite is a major determiner in results achieved ( Jones et al. , 2006 ) . Anxiety may originate as a consequence of the strangeness of the stuff being studied, or by the strain of lending to the conversation in a ambitious manner and could motivate a negative response and turning away of acquisition ( Vince & A ; Martin, 1993 ) . Third, unconstructive discourse may originate when consensus can non be reached with respects to the stuff, ends o r values ( Bruffee, 1984 ) . The increasing heterogeneousness ( Baer, 1996 ) and diverseness amongst graduate student pupils ( Booth et al. , 2000 ) escalates the happening of dysfunctional discourse in the acquisition procedure. Students may show farther hurdlings for collaborative acquisition which include: deficiency of engagement, backdown due to fear of negative rating, fright of some pupils ruling the session, troubles in maintaining the treatment focused, information overload for single members and measuring the degree of understanding ( Anderson, 1995 ; Nunamaker et al. , 1991 ) . The jobs experienced have caused certain lectors to give up on concerted larning techniques on the whole ( Cohen, 1994 ) . In the same manner, Machemer and Crawford ( 2007 ) point out that lectors give up on concerted larning methods as it has limited schoolroom ( talk ) application. In add-on, the design and testing of collaborative activities and lessons can be time-consuming on presently overloaded module agendas ( Cooper, 1995 ) . This consequences in concerns from a learning position, such as: the course of study non being completed as the activities take up a great trade of clip ; perceived loss of control in the schoolroom ; and trouble in measuring the pupils ‘ engagement and effectivity of the collaborative acquisition manners ( Gerlach, 1994 ) . Similarly, extra concerns include: the insufficiency of collaborative larning techniques in making high knowledge-attainment degrees with complex stuff, every bit good as pupils missing the critical features for working in effectual squads ( Cooper, 1995 ; Lord, 2001 ) . These critical features are what the ideal squad member should possess, which leads to the issue that the collaborative theoretical account assumes how professors are supposed to learn, how pupils are supposed to larn, and how cognition is created ( Moore, 2005 ) . However, Bruffee ( 1993 ) argues that cognition is non something transferred from one person ‘s caput to the following. â€Å" Collaborative acquisition assumes alternatively that cognition is a consensus among the members of a community of knowing peers-something people concept by speaking together and making understanding † ( Bruffee, 1993, p. 3 ) . Furthermore, Nias ( 1987 ) argues, that it is evident that non all pupils take an active function in the analysis of instances through argument. As affirmed by Jones et al 2006, a figure of factors may lend to this, including: Lack of assurance: pupils may grok the instance but do non set across their sentiment. Lack of involvement: the capable country may non be of involvement to each pupil. Lack of engagement: there are identifiable barriers to involvement ; e.g. domination of some pupils or linguistic communication barriers. Lack of readying: a deficiency of clip, committedness or motive. These factors should be mitigated every bit far as possible so as to make positive groups which help people to do positive alterations ( Goleman, Boyatzis, and Mckee, 2002 ) . Positive groups emerge where there are high degrees of single answerability, group coherence, seasonably and effectual feedback and expressed wagess for high degrees of group public presentation ( Michaelson, Fink, and Knight, 1997 ) . In contrast, unsatisfactory groups appear where free equitation or societal idleness ( doing less attempt to accomplish a end ) occurs ( Brooks & A ; Ammons, 2003 ; Mello, 1993 ) . This may give rise to interpersonal struggles and finally group devastation ( Jehn & A ; Mannix 2001 ; Miller, 2003 ) . Conversely, a longitudinal survey conducted ; found that a peculiar form of struggle resulted in higher group public presentation. This form was created as â€Å" squads executing good were characterized by low but increasing degrees of procedure struggle ; low degrees of relationship struggle, with a rise near undertaking deadlines ; and moderate degrees of undertaking struggle at the center of group interaction † ( Jehn & A ; Mannix, p.238 ) . The persons ‘ dissatisfaction will most likely influence squad public presentation, squad stableness, the size and construction of the group, and temporal range ( Alge, Wiethoff, and Klein, 2003 ; Johnson et al. , 1991 ; Jaques, 2000 ) . In add-on, diverseness ( Koppenhaver & A ; Shrader, 2003 ) and the squad members ‘ personal features, such as psychological profile, corporate orientation, and larning penchants are likely to act upon public presentation ( Kunkel & A ; Shafer, 1997 ; Lancaster & A ; Strand, 2001 ; Mennecke, Hoffer, and Wynne, 1992 ; Robbins, 1994 ) . These restrictions therefore pose a major menace to full development of the positive facets associated with collaborative acquisition and to the success of this method on the whole.7. DecisionFrom the reappraisal it is evident that there are assorted consequences sing the value of collaborative instruction and acquisition at postgraduate degree. It is evident that the benefits of this method outweigh the negative facets. However it must be noted, that the benefits do non use to all involved and if the restrictions are non adequately taken into history, the effects are bound to be black. In add-on, the diverseness amongst pupils particularly at postgraduate degree is intensifying. The heterogeneousness of pupils must be considered and hence, a ‘one method fits all ‘ attack should non be applied. Supervisors should change learning manners to suit for the diverseness of larning penchants amongst pupils. However, future research should be conducted to find the consequence of jointly using the different larning methods on pupils, their perceptual experiences or value placed on these techniques, and whether these methods will guarantee that optimum larning takes topographic point. Professors need to switch from the impression that â€Å" instruction is stating, acquisition is absorbing, and cognition is subject-matter content † ( Spence, 2001, p.12 ) . This is important as employers in current organisations are demanding more than merely proficient cognition of university alumnuss ( Jungst, Licklider, and Wiersma, 2003 ) . They require alumnuss who can believe under force per unit area, guarantee effectivity in team-work, communicate efficaciously, and build new cognition and thoughts that will give their employers the border in the current fast-paced universe. ( Gardiner, 1994 ; Brown & A ; Lassoie, 1998 ) . Therefore, by altering the patterns of instruction and acquisition in the schoolroom, there is greater possible for the happening of transmutations -for the persons, organisations, and systems ( Moore, 2005 ) . The possibility to restructure and rethink instruction and acquisition at postgraduate degree is exciting, exciting, disputing, hazardous, and ripe with possibility.

Learning Media Assessments

Assessment is a tool used in education and it is an important component of learning. The primary purpose of assessment is to improve student's learning, I administered four types of assessments to Camila, a 2 and a half years old Hispanic girl. The assessments administered to Camila were: Denver II, checklist, anecdotal, and interest survey. Denver II: Physical The Denver II assessment was designed to monitor the development of infants and preschool-aged children; it includes the screening of the four domains, Personal-social: which is getting along with people and caring for personal needs, Fine Motor-Adaptive: this includes eye hand coordination, manipulation of small objects, and problem solving, Language: it includes hearing, understanding, and using language, and Gross motor: it includes sitting, walking, jumping, and overall large muscle movement in general. The scoring is as follow: P= pass- child successfully performs item, F= Fail- child does not successfully perform item. NO= No opportunity- the child has not had the chance to perform the item, or report from caregiver is that child does not do the item due to restrictions from caregiver or other reasons, and R= Refusal- the child refuses to attempt the item, this can be minimized just by asking the child to do the item rather than asking. Purpose: The purpose of the Denver II assessment is to screen children from 1 to 6 years of age for possible developmental problems or issues, to confirm suspected problems with an objective measure, and to monitor children at risk for developmental problems. The assessment was administered with the mother participation; with the gross motor part done outside. I tried to make both of them comfortable; to do the fine motor screening, Camila sat at the floor and her mother sat beside her. I explained to the mother that the child was not expected to pass all the items, but we were going to allow the child to manipulate the items to be used to feel comfortable by the time the activity was done. A set of blocks were given to Camila and she was told to make a tower with eight blocks. Camila carefully piled ten blocks making sure all the blocks were straight. She made three other towers with the other blocks. Camila imitated a vertical line.Camila, her mother and I went outside to do the gross motor part, Camila's mother showed Camila how to jump a broad jump and throw the ball over her head, she then encouraged Camila to imitate her; three trials were given to do the broad jump, the first two times scoring a F and the third a P. Camila's mother and I praised Camila for her efforts in doing the tasks.To minimized bias, I performed the assessment in Spanish; I explained the tasks we were going to work to Camila's mother before doing them. I gave her a copy of the assessment for her to read the items at the same time I was asking them. I asked the mother first about each item then we asked Camila to do each task to confirm her development.Checklist: Social and EmotionalA checklist is a tool for identifying the presence or absence of conceptual knowledge, skills, or behaviors. Checklists are tools that state specific criteria and allow teachers and students to gather information that can provide an informal profile of each child. Checklists also help teachers to make judgements about what students know and can do in relation to the outcomes. Checklists allow teachers to consistently monitor and document progress and focus extra attention on the items that mark deficiencies in development growth. The checklist may assess domains such as fine and gross motor, expressive and receptive language, intellectual, social-emotional, and self-help skills. These checklists provide information about what a child can and cannot do in each developmental area. Teachers can use this information to help set goals for a child and plan activities that help the child progress. An example of a developmental checklist, Observation Checklist for Teachers, is at the end of this chapter. Other checklists provide teachers with a record of what learning centers the children choose, or which materials they use most often. They are helpful in assuring, for example, that children who spend most of their free time in the art area are encouraged to explore other activity centers. The teacher can help the child make this transition by setting up a favorite art activity in another part of the room, such as painting clouds and the sky for a castle that will be built with blocks and small boxes Purpose: The purpose of checklists is to identify and record student's, skills, strategies, attitudes, and behaviors that are necessary for effective learning. Checklists can also be used to communicate a student's learning to his/her parents.The assessment was administered during several days of observation during play and circle time. I observed Camila's choices and decisions when she was playing in the pretend area. Camila played along other children and imitated what another girl did when playing with a small doll. During circle time she waited for her turn to hold the ball when playing a game. Bias was minimized when I wrote only the facts and focus on Camila's strengths Observation: Anecdotal record: CognitiveAn anecdote is an account of an event in a child's day; the record of this event can be detailed or brief. In other words is a short story detailing the facts of an event in the child's day. These short reports described in a factual way, the incident, its context, and what was said or done by the participant. On most cases anecdotes focus on very simple, everyday interactions among children, adults and children, as well as materials and children in the environment. Purpose: Anecdotes capture the richness and complexity of the moment as children interact with one another and with materials. These records of child behavior and learning accumulated over the time enhance the teacher's understanding of the individual child as patterns or profiles begin to emerge. Behavior change can be tracked and documented and placed in the child's portfolio resulting in suggestions for future observations, curriculum planning and student or parent conferences. The anecdotes or observations were done during center time; my observations were done of what Camila did and what she said while she was playing with the blocks and the farm animals. Camila built a tower of eight blocks and called the teacher to see it, she then made other small towers and put the animals on the top of each tower; she clapped her hands when she saw the results. Camila also used other blocks to make a little cage for the baby animals.Bias was minimized when I wrote only the facts and quotes she used when playing. I also focused only on Camila's strengths.Interest survey:Interest surveys provide valuable information from students that teachers can use to establish and maintain positive relationships; provide information of the students' individual needs and preferences. Purpose: The purpose of the interest surveys is to help teachers in choosing the appropriate materials and instructional decisions based on the expressed interests for each student. Students are more likely to be engaged if the instruction connects to their interest. I started the survey with Camila by showing several books; Camila looked at the books and grabbed the book of Brown Bear. I let Camila look at the book for a while and then showed her the survey and explained to her what she needed to do. I covered the survey and uncover just the question I was asking at the time. I also provided the stickers to use one at a time for her to choose the answer she wanted. Bias was minimized when the survey was done in Spanish and Camila was let to put on a sticker on each answer she chose. Camila took her time to put the sticker on the desired picture and I let her take her time looking at the survey's question and pictures.

Bowlby’s attachment theory Essay

This essay will describe and evaluate Bowlby’s theory of attachment and maternal deprivation hypothesis. The essay will describe the two theories, weighing up the strengths and the weaknesses. It will include supporting research by Shaffer and Emerson, Ainsworth and Harlow, along with criticisms by Rutter. John Bowlby (1907-1990) was a child psychiatrist. He was psychoanalytically and medically trained. In 1945, after returning from serving in the armed forces medical service, he secured a position as head of the Children’s Department at the Tavistock Clinic, London. Believing strongly that the quality of a parent-child relationship has a profound effect on developmental and mental health, he promptly renamed it the department for Children and Parents. While witnessing the distress shown by children separated from their parents or primary care-givers, especially if the periods were prolonged, unfamiliar or in the care of strangers, his ideas surrounding attachment theor y evolved. To make sense of the extreme upset and distress displayed by the young children, Bowby pieced together a range of extraordinary thoughts and ideas from many different sciences. (Howe,D (2011) pg 7-8 ) Influenced by ethological theory, Lorenz (1935) and his study of imprinting showed attachment was innate in young ducklings; this had a huge influence on Bowlby. He believed that attachment behaviours were instinctive and would be activated by any conditions that threatened the child being near his mother or primary care giver and would cause the child insecurity and fear. He also postulated that strangers released an imprinted fear in a child and that survival mechanisms were in built via nature and that babies were born with social releasers. These innate behaviours displayed by the child help ensure proximity and contact with their mother figure, for example crying, smiling, crawling, which in turn stimulate care giving. Bowlby believed that an early bond was a framework for later adult relationships, friendships and parenthood. (Holmes 2011 Pg 62) Attachment is a term which refers to the quality of an individual’s attachment; these can be divided into secure and insecure. To feel secure and safe is to feel attached. To feel insecurely attached can manifest itself into a mixture of feelings towards the attachment figure; dependence and intense love, irritability and fear of rejection. Bowlby suggested that a child forms an initial bond with only one person, this is  called monotropy, and that this care giver acts as a secure base for the child, this attachment is a prototype for all future relationships and disruption of this can cause serious negative consequences in later life. The theory behind monotrophy later led onto Bowlbys formulation of his maternal deprivation hypothesis. Believing that the mother was the single most important figure in a Childs first two years, this being a critical period and any disruption could cause irreparable long term consequences (McLeod 2009). The development of the attachment theory was based around four distinguishing characteristics , these were proximity maintenance, whereby between birth and 6 weeks babies were born pre programmed, safe haven, six weeks to eight months secure base and separation distress. (Malim 1998) Although Bowlby was indeed the integrating force behind attachment theory, Mary Ainsworth, with her grounding in developmental psychology, helped develop and extend Bowlby’s ideas. As founders of the attachment theory they maintained a productive relationship for many years. Mary Ainsworth (1982) carried out a study called â€Å"strange Situation† as a result she identified three types of attachment, secure, avoidant and resistant. Based on a similar study she carried out in Uganda where infants were used to being with their mothers and if the mothers left the room the babies would typically cry uncontrollably, in contrast American babies were used to their mothers entering and leaving the room more frequently. Ainsworth wanted to test the secure base and decided to set up a â€Å"strange Situation† where she could observe babies reacting to their mother’s absence in a stressful environment. In a room filled with engaging toys she observed the infants as t hey explored the new surroundings while their mother was in the room, she then introduced a stranger to increase the stress levels. The infant was then left in the room with the stranger and the behaviour at separation and reunion was observed. (Mooney.C (2010) The results of the study showed that 70% of the infants demonstrated a secure attachment, whereby they trust the mother and were happy playing by the stranger but displayed caution. The child would cry when the mother left the room but was easily pacified on her return. 15% of the children were classed as avoidant, they did not appear to be affected by the stranger and treated the stranger the same as its mother. The remaining 155 were resistant, they did not use the mother as a secure base and became very difficult   comfort, clingy and would not except the stranger. (Malim 1998) Dollard and Miller (1950) suggested that attachment was due to drive reduction. This is described at hunger and cold having a driving force in a child seeking to satisfy its need to be warm and to eat. These discomforts are referred to as primary drives with food and warmth being the primary re-enforcers. The attachment only happens because the child wants the person supplying the food and warmth. This th eory is referred to as cupboard love because of the emphasis it has on food and feeding. However, Schaffer and Emerson (1964) found than fewer than half of the infants they studied had a primary attachment to the person who fed, clothed and bathed them. They carried out a longitudinal study which involved observing 60 babies, at monthly intervals, for the first 18months of their lives. While in their own homes, the children were observed interacting with their carers. If the baby showed separation anxiety after a carer left the room this was evidence for the development of an attachment. They discovered that up to 3 months of age a indiscriminate attachment was formed, this is where the baby is predisposed to attach to any human. After 4 months they form a preference to certain people by learning to distinguish primary and secondary caregivers but except care for anyone. After 7 months they form a special preference for a single attachment figure by looking to certain people for their security, protection and comfort. They show fear of strangers and sadness when separate d from that one special person. After 9 months the baby has formed multiple attachments and becomes increasingly independent, forming many attachments. They concluded that the study indicated attachments were formed with the people who responded to the baby’s signals, not the person they spent the majority of their time with. McLeod,S.A. (2009 Harrow and Harlow (1962) also carried out a study that disproved the theory that attachment was based on food. They carried out an experiment on infant monkeys. They placed them in a cage with two wire mesh cylinders. One was bare with just a bottle of milk with a teat, to signify a lactating mother, and the other was wrapped in towelling to supply comfort. If the supply of food was all that was needed to form an attachment then you would think that the monkeys would have spent the majority of the time with the milk. In actual fact the opposite proved to be true. The monkeys used the   cylinder as their secure base for which to explore, a characteristic of attachment behaviour. This experiment proved that food alone was not sufficient in the formation of attachments. (Cardwell et al pg 117) Bowlby’s second theory was that of maternal deprivation. When an attachment is broken either temporarily, through hospitalisation, or permanently, through death, it is referred to as depr ivation. Sadly, there have also been cases where children have been so badly treated, maybe kept totally isolated, that they have never formed an attachment at all. This is called privation. However, Bowlby failed to differentiate between the two in his maternal deprivation hypothesis. Further studies have suggested that deprivation and privation are quite distinct and that the long term effects of privation are for more severe than the long term consequences of deprivation. Also, that children are far more resilient to early separation than Bowlby originally suggested and he later changed his views. Believing that the relationship between an infant and his mother was crucial to socialisation, especially in the first five years of the child’s life, and that any disruption could lead to emotional difficulties and anti-social behaviour he studies 44 adolescent juvenile delinquents in a child guidance clinic. The aim of the study was to see if the long-term effects of maternal deprivation caused delinquency in the children. He interviewed the 44 boys who had been sent to the clinic for stealing; he then selected another 44 children who had been sent to the clinic for emotional problems and not for committing any crimes. He also interviewed the parents of the children to try and discover if a separation had occurred during the critical period and for how long. He discovered that more than half had been separated from their mothers for longer than six months in the first five years. In the second group only two had been separated. He also discovered that 32% of the thieves showed affectionless psychopathy, meaning they were unable to feel or show affection for others. This was not apparent at all in the second group. Bowlby concluded that the anti social behaviours and emotional problems displayed by the thieves were due to maternal deprivation. However, as the evidence that Bowlby based his findings from were in the form of clinical interviews and the parents were being asked questions retrospectively the evidence may not have been totally accurate. As he also designed and carried out the study himself it could also have been bias, especially as he was responsible for the diagnosis   affectionless psychopathy (.McLeod. S) Goldfarb (1947) carried out a study of a Romanian orphanage; the research involved two groups of children. Group one spend the first few months in the orphanage before they were then fostered. Group two were at the orphanage for three years prior to being fostered; therefore they had littl e opportunity of forming attachments in early life. Both groups were tested at the age of 12 and the children who had spend the longest at the orphanage were the least social, more likely to be aggressive and performed less well on the IQ tests. This study highlighted that early deprivation can be overcome and they are not so reversible and permanent as Bowlby had assumed. Michael Rutter (1972) suggested that Bowlby over simplified the concept of maternal deprivation. He used the term to refer to a separation from an attached figure, loss of an attachment and failure to develop an attachment. Rutter argued that they each had a different effect, particularly in the case of privation and deprivation. Rutter believed that if a child did not develop an attachment that this was privation, whereas deprivation refers to the attachment being lost or damaged. In the case of Bowlbys 44 thieves, Rutter proposed that privation had occurred as they had suffered a series of different carers thus preventing the development of one particular attachment. He suggested that private children did not show distress when separated for a particular figure, showing a lack of attachment. Following his own research of privation, Rutter proposed that it is likely to lead to clingy dependant behaviour, inability to follow rules, to form lasting relationships or to feel guilt. He also found evidence of anti social behaviour, affectionless psychopathy. (McLeod 2008) Genie (reported by Curtiss 1977) was found when she was 13 years old. She had been kept in total isolation all of her life, had suffered severe neglect and had been physically restrained. At the hands of her father she was tied to a child potty in a bare room and punished if she made a sound. When discovered she had the appearance of a child aged 6 to 7, was unsocialised, primitive and barely human. She was unable to walk or talk. Despite intervention and being taken off her parents and placed in foster care, Genie never achieved good social adjustment or language. However, the Czech Twins study – Koluchova (1976) lost their mother shortly after they were born and were cared for by a social agency for a year being fostered by a maternal aunt for a further six months. Their development was normal. Their father remarried but his new wife was excessively cruel to the twins, making them live in the cellar for the next five and a half years and beating them. Once removed from their parents the twins attended a school for children with severe learning difficulties and were later adopted. They went from a state of profound disability to being with peers their own age and later went on to achieve emotional and intellectual normality.( McLeod 2008) To conclude, in the case of Genie, the affects of her isolation proved not to be reversible, however, this could have been down to the fact that she was discovered at the age of 13. The earlier children are discovered, as in the case of the Czech twins, with good support and emotional care, it is possible. One could argue that the twins had each other and were able to form an early attachment. Rutter believed that the affects could be reversed with early adoptions. Whether the affects of privation are long lasting or not is uncertain from the studies and most of the research is around privation. Research on deprivation showed that if care and emotional support was offered, that a reasonable level of recovery could be expected. Bibliography Cardwell, Clark and Meldrum (2008) Psychology AS for AQAA. 4th Ed. London; Harper Collins Publishers Ltd Holmes (1993) John Bowlby and attachment theory, pg 62, East Sussex; Routedge) Howe,D (2011) Attachment across the life course, Hampshire; Palgrave Macmillian) http://psychology4a.com/attach%208.htm (accessed 24th April 2014) Malim,T and Birch, A (1998) Introductory Psychology, Hampshire; Macmillam Press McLeod,S.A. (2009) Attachment Theory http://www.simplypsychology.org/attachment.html (Accessed 24th April 2014) Mooney,C (2010) An Introduction to Bowlby,Ainsworth,Gerber,Brazelton,Kennel & Klaus. St.Paul; Red leaf Press

Explain the key differences between intended and emergent approaches Essay

Explain the key differences between intended and emergent approaches to developing strategy. Why might one be preferred to the other by strategic managers - Essay Example Factors that might convince an organization to adopt the emergent approach include a need to change according to the changing environment and context, advancement of technology paving way for new channels of communication and operation, unexpected and abrupt increase or drop in the value of currency, and stakeholder influence. Factors that might influence the emergent approach and optimize an organization’s tendency to stick to the intended approach include the commitment to the original vision and mission of the organization, and the constraints of resources. A very good example of emergent approach is provided by Mark Zuckerberg, the Harvard University student and the founder of Facebook. Zuckerberg’s intended approach in 2003 after being dumped by his girlfriend was to create the website â€Å"FaceMash† as a platform where the beauty of young women would be voted on. The website first evolved into Thefacebook online social network meant exclusively for the Harvard students. But the surprising and growing popularity of the website caused Zuckerberg to morph it into Facebook open to everybody in the world. â€Å"Ironically, Facebook’s emphasis on connecting with existing and new friends is about as different as it could be from Zuckerberg’s original mean-spirited concept† (Ketchen and Short, 2013). It can be stated without doubt that the emergent and realized strategies used by Zuckerberg proved much nobler for him compared to the intended strategy with which he had originally started his entrepreneursh ip. A good example of intended approach to developing strategy is the intended strategy of General Electric (GE) in the later half of the 20th century, in the form of a direction from Jack Welch, the then CEO of the company, that all units of business were supposed to be number one or number two in their market or industry; or had a good

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You choose the topic - Research Paper Example Rare earth elements are not rare as suggested by the name but are abundant in the earth’s crust even more than some metals (see table 1). However, they are dispersed and their concentration on the earth’s crust is very low and therefore they cannot be easily exploited. In addition, each rare earth deposit is unique and contains different ore bodies which contains several rare earth elements in varying proportions. Rare earth elements do not occur naturally in elemental state as most metallic elements but are found in a large number of minerals types including halides, oxides, carbonate, phosphate and silicate (Eriksson and Olsson 5). In this project we want to address beneficiation as one of the aspects of chemical process of obtaining rare earths form the naturally occurring ores. Beneficiation is the second step of mining after the ore is removed from the ground. Beneficiation process is divided into two steps i.e. physical beneficiation and chemical beneficiation. Chemical beneficiation is applied after the physical beneficiation. Depending on the composition of the ore, different chemical techniques can be applied to separate the rare earth elements from other minerals contained in the ore. There are various types of ore bodies which include; monazite, euxenite, gadolinite, xenotime, bastnasite, and Elliot lake uranium (Gupta and Krishnamurthy149). Different ore bodies have different compositions and hence different chemical beneficiation processes. There are two different chemical beneficiation ways of obtaining rare earth elements from monazite ore. This difference comes from the fact that either sulphuric acid or hydroxide can be used to first attack the ore (Gupta and Krishnamurthy 149). Acid treatment. In this treatment (see fig.1), concentrated sulphuric acid is used to heat the monazite sand up to a temperature of between 120 and 150Â °C ( Bongaerts 67). Both thorium and

Legalization of Prostitution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

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The Bank of America Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Bank of America - Essay Example Presently, the bank is the biggest institution of finance services globally. The Bank of America is the second largest commercial bank globally, continuing to record the best credit ratings despite the credit crunch in the 1970s (Johnston, 1990). The Bank of America has a variety of leadership and talent programs which enable it to nurture and promote talent among both the existing employees and upcoming and promising talents. As a result, the bank has put in place various talent management programs that have led to its success in the industry. This paper will evaluate the strength of the talent management program, assess available opportunities for growth and recommend the best approaches in dealing with the challenges in the talent management program. Talent Management Programs That Led to Success for the Company Bank of America has for a long time been a leader in talent management, especially in the financial services sector. The main philosophy of the bank in connection to manag ement and development of talent is steered by a number of principles which guide the company in creating the way forward that is supported across the executive ranks of the bank. According to Effron, Greenslade and Salob (2005), some of the principles include: Leaders are important people in the process of managing and steering accountability, output and tradition. Rules of performance where excellent performers have high ability. The most precious resource is the person’s talent. The current excellent performers are not fundamentally future top performers. A wide set of experience and exercise is the preeminent lesson; but a mutual approach is essential for growth. Venture in the top talent and spotlight the rest. The current best 100 performers leave a heritage of potential talent by training, guiding and being the exemplars to others on features of success. In putting this philosophy into practice, the efforts of talent management and growth of the bank are modeled on the main set of systems consisting of the core values of the bank which have a common 70-20-10 growth framework. When broken down, the model represents 70% of experience based growth, 20% of training and response and 10% of learning (Goldsmith, 2006). The main objective is to have a transitional growth for the leaders at every phase of the leadership development and a constant evaluation to have an intense in-depth analysis into the knowledge, leadership potentials, susceptibility and aspiration for top executives. This joint philosophy and system give room for an incorporated approach to management of talent and development of leadership that centers on promoting the current performance and shaping the future leaders. With this kind of firm foundations for the growth of leaders already in place, the Bank of America has shifted its attention to upgrading the top team’s line of sight to the bank’s high ranking 50 executives and selecting leaders with the ability to take up positions at the top level of the bank for the next five years of operation. The action program has been named Next Generation Leadership forum which comprises intensive evaluation program as a section of the experience in learning process (Goldsmith, 2006). Using these evaluations, every member is assessed based on experience, inspiration and leadership potentials by use of a multifaceted evaluation tools, observation and interviews. The merging of intensive evaluat

Research papers Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Papers - Research Paper Example The HRD helps in polishing up the performance of the employees by providing them expertise training, which contributes to the better performance of the organization. The main purpose of HRD is to enhance the organizational performance contributing in productivity of the company (Richard & Et. Al., 1996). HRD not only helps in enhancing the performance of the employee but also is important factor in the establishment of relationship among the existing HR policies (Richard & Et. Al., 1996). The mission of Mace Ford organization is to organize the people working together for the global automotive leadership, as one team involving customers, dealers, councils/unions, employees, investors, suppliers and community (Ford Motor Company, 2011). The HRD of the company follows many practices of human resource development processes such as 360 degree appraisal. The 360 degree appraisal helps to understand the employee needs more briefly because the approach tends to engage the employees directly. In 360 degree process, feedback is obtained providing the HRD a better way in operation. The HR practices adopted by Ford maximize the competencies, commitment and abilities of the organisation’s employees. HRD should provide the workers of the company with customer service training which focuses on customer satisfaction intended to increase the market share of the company. HRD mostly deals with people of an organization so as to improvise better performance from individual employees. Career development should be enlisted by HRD in the organization through the implication of functioning Internal Job Posting (IJP). These practices would result into customer service excellence, one of the main missions of the company. HRD should emphasize more on team effort, developing healthy and friendly work environment. HRD should provide training on recognizing the importance of customer needs and meeting them. Every

Agency theory linked to management accounting Essay

Agency theory linked to management accounting - Essay Example The behavioural premise of the innovative financial-economic theory is based contradict to the thoughts of trustiness, faithfulness, loyalty, stewardship, and care for others that motivate the conventional principal-agent association. The conventional conception of agency is established on ethical measures. But the theory in the conventional sense is not possible as human beings are rational maximizers. Duska (1992) elucidates as: "To do something for another in a system geared to maximize self-interest is foolish. Such an answer, though, points out an inconsistency at the heart of the system, for a system that has rules requiring agents to look out for others while encouraging individuals to look out only for themselves, destroys the practice of looking out for others"Another point of view is that as individual rewards are openly connected to individual venture efficiency than collective rewards managers prefer individual motivation allocation (Hayes, 1976).Agency theory accepts tha t employees and employers have diverse ends, behave in a self-interested way, and are eager to presume altering points of risk. In this paper, a review of how incentive remuneration plans can help create a commonality of interest between the two groups is examined.The agency theory presumes that the agent and the principal are self-interested and try to make the most of their gains in their relationship. A simple instance is the case of a store manager who acts as an agent of the owner. The store manager desires for as much rewards for his work as possible that too for as little work as feasible. But at the same time the store owner would look for the manager to work the maximum for a very little pay as possible. This premise drops the themes of honesty and commitment from the agency association as their inappropriateness with the basic theory of balanced maximization. According to DeGeorge (1992) "The job of agency theory is to help devise techniques for describing the conflict inh erent in the principal-agent relationship and controlling the situations so that the agent, acting out of self-interest, does as little harm as possible to the principal's interest". In reality management accounting study has an extended past of researching how incentives sway behaviour (Luft & Shields 2003; Bonner & Sprinkle 2002; and Young & Lewis 1995). Organisations have from a very long time made use of incentives as a means for adjusting the involvements of managers and of employees with the interests of the firm and its shareholders. For instance, in the 1980s, CEO Roger Smith brought in operation dependent pay to the line workers at GM. Thus when GM was doing well, the workers also was doing well (Business Week, 1900). One primary anxiety for managers who want to stimulate their workers is how to allocate financial motivators among team members(Ramaswami & Singh, 2003). Particularly, managers have to settle on, amid other things, (1) How much contingent dependent remuneration should be (2) How financial inducements should be allotted among the workers. The sharing of performance payoffs is mainly motivating and brings forth much academic dispute about suitable allotment rules (Meindl, 1989). Incentive Plans Performance plans extend the managers' verdict sphere by rewarding them on the attainment of some accounting-based events over a period running from three to six years instead of current annual performance (Kumar and Sopariwala, 1992; Enis, 1993). Actually plans based on performance are of two types: performance unit plan or performance share plan. Healy & Wahlen (1999) stated that market anticipations, management reward and rigid interference were the principal components attractive earnings management. Fields et al (2001, p. 260) states that "when managers exercise their discretion over the accounting numbers with or without restrictions". In reality managers or agents are motivated to maximise the firm's value

Self introduction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Self introduction - Essay Example It is natural, that I am a kind of typical representative of my nation with its specific interests and activities. To tell you the truth the cultural entertainment is traditionally received much attention in my motherland. As here in America we have the American way of life, so there is the Chinese way of life in China, which is determined by the gymnastics Taiji. My friends and I are those people who were engaged in practicing of sports in the morning parks. And by the way such sportsmen can be also seen then-and-now. Among other activities valuable and adorable by me is Ping-Pong, which is played just in the city streets. No matter which way you look at it, Ping-Pong is our national sport available for everyone. Moreover, it is a really interesting and developing game, for it stimulates such human’s qualities as quick reflexes, concentration, attention and concernment of mastership, as there are many guys able to show various and sundry tricks with rackets at an unimaginable speed. And definitely you have heard about our main amusement of karaoke. You must know, it is our craze, and there are many new karaoke bars, which have been opened recently. So here I am, a practitioner of Taiji, who plays Ping-Pong and likes singing karaoke, as all these choices are still with me in America. Incidentally, my personal example proves the fact that there is less and less time for Taoist slowness and Confucian measured gravity in the life of the modern Chinese. The pace of life increases, and as a result the time allotted for spirituality reduces. Such an acceleration of life is the main mark of the recent years, which may alter the traditional slow Chinese mentality. As for my experience at Greenville High School in Alabama, where I have come for studying after the moving from China, I cannot say that it was easy. The main difficulty for me was total learning in English. Naturally, I was taught the language up to then, but Chinese English pronunciation

Evaluaring Strategies Essay Example for Free

Evaluaring Strategies Essay The final results of any corporation can be measured in financial terms (profit, revenue growth, etc.) The authors of the HBR article on the use of a balanced scorecard recommend that the scorecard be used supplement these traditional financial metrics with performance measurement criteria relating to the perspectives of customers, internal business processes and learning and growth (Kaplan Norton, 1996). Since it is not possible to execute what you cannot measure, the balanced scorecard is a strategic management system that helps to measure and focus a companys strategy. The scorecard was devised to complement financial measures. It enables companies to track financial results while, at the same time, monitor progress of the mechanisms that are needed future growth. The problem with traditional management systems is that there are not able to link a companys long-term strategy with its short-term actions. So while financial measures are essential on the short-term, with the scorecard approach, they do not become the sole indicators of a company’s progress.   The scorecard introduces four new management processes that provide an avenue for the linkage between long-term strategic objectives and short-term actions. These are: Translating the vision Communicating and linking Business planning and Feedback and learning Translating the vision This process helps managers translate the organizations vision statements and strategy statements into an integrated set of objectives and measures that illustrate what drives long-term success. This process is necessary because some of the generalized statements of purpose (like â€Å"best in class†, â€Å"empowered organization†) defined by top management may not mean much in an operational sense to those tactical managers and operatives who need to carry out the mission in their day-to-day activities. Communicating and linking This process allows managers communicate their strategy upwards (to their superiors) and downwards (to their reports/subordinates) link this strategy to departmental and individual objectives. Since departments are typically evaluated by their financial performance, and individual incentives are tied to short-term financial goals, this process ensures that all levels of the organization understand the long-term strategy and aligns both departmental and individual objectives with it. Business planning Business planning is that process which ensures that business and financial plans of the organization are integrated. The prevalent occurrence of change programs in today’s organization makes it difficult for managers to integrate these initiatives with the strategic goal. However, when the scorecard approach is applied towards allocating resources and setting priorities for meeting the change initiatives, such programs can be coordinated in such a way that they line up with the overall strategic goal. Feedback and learning The authors postulate that this process gives companies the capacity for strategic learning. The scorecard enables companies to modify strategies to reflect real-time learning by evaluating strategy in the light of recent performance. By translating the vision, executives can come to such consensus as to what services and products will best stimulate growth or what customer segments to place emphasis on. The specifics of this translation will help the employees realize the vision. Applying the process of communicating and linking may result in managers understanding how business re-engineering initiatives may lead to fulfilling the goal of on-time delivery to clients. Business planning processes can include the integration of the results of budget sessions with those of strategic planning sessions and ensuring that the budget supports the strategy. Feedback and learning processes give the organization the ability to produce Chris Argyll’s concept of â€Å"double-loop learning†.   The concept suggests that cause-and-effect relationships can be identified when linkages are measured based on results from in the first 3 processes (Translating the vision, Communicating and linking, Business planning). Such relationships could result in findings such as that there are correlations between employees morale and customer satisfaction. In summary, it is important to control the short-term measures of financial performance of a company as well as longer-term parameters as learning and growth, internal business processes, and customer satisfaction for proper alignment between the overall strategy of the organization with its subsequent realization. Where such introspection is actively pursued by the organization and it results in projects like business re-engineering, marketing strategies and increased customer satisfaction, all in alignment with the organizational strategy, the end-result will cause a synergy that leads to improved financial results. REFERENCE Kaplan, R. S., Norton, D. P., (1996). Using the Balanced Scorecard as a Strategic Management System. Harvard Business Review, 74(1).

Beauty of Nature Essay Example for Free

Beauty of Nature Essay Nature can bring a lot of beauty into our lives. Nature has a way of affecting our moods and it can force us to change our plans. Nature is responsible for the sun, clouds, rain, and snow. When it is sunny and bright outside, we feel cheerful inside. When it is cloudy and rainy, we often feel gloomy. When there is a beautiful and starry night, the moonlight makes us feel romantic. William Wordsworth in his poem â€Å"Daffodils gives the romantic in nature; the beauty of nature as I wandered lonely as a cloud That floats on high oer vales and hills, When all at once I saw a crowd, A host of golden daffodils; Beside the lake, beneath the trees, Fluttering and dancing in the breeze. Nature can set a sky aflame at sunset or magically transform a familiar landscape into a snow-white wonderland. It can paint a rainbow in the sky, paint beautiful autumn colors on trees, or paint a clump of daffodils in the grass with glow of soft sunlight. When we wake and see a sunrise, when we walk and feel a breeze, when we gaze at the mountains and the splendor of the seas, when we see the earth renew its beauty at each season of the year, and when the stars shine at night, we should be so very thankful to the Lord for giving us all these wonderful and miraculous things. This poetic line substantiates this The whistle of the wind rushing past my face, Looking for the exit so it can leave this place; The branches sway and the leaves begin to fall, I can hear the birds now, sending me their call. When we see the leaves budding on a tree or when a timid flower pushes through the frozen ground, or when we smell the freshness of spring, new  hope will always come to us. Nature is truly an intrinsic part of our lives.

Applications of Hard X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy

Applications of Hard X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy Applications of Hard X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy to bulk materials Jingru Chi ABSTRACT X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy is a powerful, relevant and non-destructive method for studying atoms, molecules and surfaces [1]. However, investigations are limited to atoms, molecules and surfaces since low energy electrons limit the depth resolution, resulting in three-dimensional bulk state cannot be detected. Hard X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (HAXPES) with high kinetic energy photoelectrons uses excitation by X-ray of 2-15keV and a high energy analyzer which make it possible to measure bulk and determine bulk electronic structure properties of materials [2]. The recoil effects of photoelectrons in valence band states and core levels are the principal studies of HAXPES. In this paper, HAXPES uses undulator synchrotron X-rays at SPring-8. The results of high energy photoelectron spectroscopy of the valence bands and sensitivity of bulk have shown that the measured valence band spectra are indispensable in studying the bulk electronic structure. Introduction The Nobel Prize in 1981 was awarded to Kai Siegbahn for developing the method of Electron Spectroscopy for Chemical Analysis (ESCA), now which is presented as X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS). Since then, XPS becomes one of the most useful and non-destructive techniques for analyzing the electronic structure of atoms, molecules and surfaces. In early studies, XPS uses Mo KÃŽ ± (= 17.479keV), Cr KÃŽ ± (= 5.417keV) or Cu KÃŽ ± (= 8.047 keV) hard X-ray sources. Gradually it out of date with the discovery that lower energy soft X-rays such as the Mg KÃŽ ± (= 1253.6eV) and Al KÃŽ ± (= 1486.7eV) sources has the higher energy resolution [3]. Reducing incident energy improved the surface sensitivity of XPS. However, soft X-rays source limits the depth resolution to 5nm for Angle-Resolved X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (ARXPS) and 10nm for inelastic loss analysis [4], so it cannot detect the deeply buried layers without destructive ways like ion sputtering and etching which are time-c onsuming and hard to control. In the last few years, the developments of new bright synchrotron photon sources, the availability of monochromators with a resolving power about 105, and electron analyzers which can analyze the 10 keV electrons with meV resolution have created the new possibilities for Hard X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (HAXPES) [5], which made it possible to analyze the bulk structure without using destructive methods. HAXPES has not been well-developed until the appearance of the third generation synchrotrons, which can generate high-brilliance, high-flux X-rays that enables one to perform experiments with the HAXPES in very low photoionization cross-section [1]. As well the developments of electron analyzer with the high kinetic energy range also contributed to improve HAXPES measurements [6]. The superiority of HAXPES is the considerable probing depth owing to the increased electron mean free path [7], made it possible to detect the electronic structure of bulk materials. With the excitation energy of 8 keV, the escape energy can be greater than 90 Ã… [1]. With high kinetic energies of electrons, the coral level and the valence band can be detected in the bulk materials. According to these advantages, HAXPES is one of the best ways to perform sensitive photoemission spectroscopy on correlated systems such as thin films, multilayer systems and devices [1]. Several investigations on bulk materi als have been reported. One is the measurement of the valence band of Co2Mn1−xFexSi (x = 0, 0.5, 1) be excited by photons which have energy about 8 keV [8, 9]. This experiment was the proof that the XPS with hard X-rays has better sensitivity on bulk electronic structure than the conventional XPS with soft X-rays. Fundamentals of HAXPES Model of photoionization using hard X-rays When use the conventional theoretical model to describe the photoemission, including the differential cross-section of photoionization for photon energies from 2 keV to 15 keV, the model based on the power series expansion of the electron-photon interaction operator cannot perfectly explain photoemission though just using a limited number of the terms of the expansion [2]. However, a more complex expansion of the electron-photon interaction operator developed by Fujikawa [11, 12] contained all the electric dipole operators and other multipole terms can explain it well. These models indicate that contributions from electric quadrupole and magnetic dipole transitions cannot be ignored anymore when photoelectrons are excited by high energy X-rays and beyond the electric dipole transitions [2]. Systems Fig. 1. HEARP Lab system [10] There are just so many kinds of HAXPES, here just introduce the HEARP Lab system. In this system, it needs the monochromatic X-ray source with 5–6 keV photon energies and the high energy electron analyzer with angular resolution capability for the measurements of takeoff angle dependence and X-ray photoelectron diffraction [10]. To meet these requirements, HEARP uses the Cr KÃŽ ± X-ray source, a wide acceptance objective lens, and a high energy version of VG SCIENTA R4000 analyzer [10], as it showed in Fig. 1. A Cr KÃŽ ± X-ray source is shown in Fig. 2(a). The main body contains the water cooling system and Cr target. At the first, the monochromatic Cr KÃŽ ± X-rays are emitted by a focused electron beam with the maximum acceleration energy of 20keV, then X-rays go through the bent crystal monochromator with a 300mm Rowland circle and focus onto a sample surface [10], as schematically shown in Fig. 2(b). The X-ray spot size ranges from 1.5ÃŽ ¼m to 200ÃŽ ¼m by raster scanning of the electron beam [10]. (b) (a) Fig. 2. X-ray source [10]. (a) Photograph of UHV compatible flange mounted Cr KÃŽ ± X-ray source [10]. (b) Schematic diagram of X-ray source. The electron beam is focused on a water cooled Cr target [10] and it excite Cr KÃŽ ± X-rays. Then it monochromatized by an elliptically bent Ge crystal with 422 reflection [10] and direct irradiated to the sample surface. The objective lens, as it shown in Fig. 3(a), is set in front of the analyzer. The angle acceptance of the lens is about  ±7 °, when it is combined with the VG SCIENTA R4000 10 KV hemispherical analyzer, the angle acceptance can achieve to  ±35 ° [10]. The magnification factor is 5, as well the magnification factor of analyzer input lens is 5, so the total magnification factor is 25 [10], and the working distance is 11mm from the aperture [10]. (a) Fig. 3 Performance The performance of HEARP system is evaluated by measuring Au 3d5/2 photoelectrons emitted from an Au strip. The total energy resolution is 0.53 eV [13]. The result of the experiment showed the acceptance angle is  ±35 ° and a resolution less than 0.5 ° [10]. When it is provided with the objective lens, the acquisition time for the Au 3d spectrum excited by the same Cr KÃŽ ± source is 16 min, which is seven times better than without the objective lens [10]. Table 1 shows the differences in HEARP Lab system and HXPES at BL47XU beamline system. Table 1 Comparison of HEARP Lab system with HXPES at BL47XU beamline system. They all have the same analyzer with the same pass energy of 200 eV. In the Lab system, it uses entrance slit of curved 0.8mm, beamline system uses curved 0.8mm. The X-ray excitation power is 45W (15 kW, 3.0 mA) [10]. Applications References [1] Siham Ouardi, Gerhard H. Fecher, Claudia Felser, ‘Bulk electronic structure studied by hard X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy of the valence band: The case of intermetallic compounds,’ Journal of Electron Spectroscopy and Related Phenomena, 190 (2013) 249–267. [2] Là ¡szlà ³ Kà ¶và ©r, ‘X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy using hard X-rays,’ Journal of Electron Spectroscopy and Related Phenomena, 178–179 (2010) 241–257. [3] M. Taguchi, Y.Takata, A.Chainani, ‘Hard X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy: A few recent applications,’ Journal of Electron Spectroscopy and Related Phenomena 190 (2013) 242–248. [4] P. Risterucci, O. Renault, E. Martinez, B. Detlefs, V. Delaye, J. Zegenhagen, C. Gaumer, G. Grenet, and S. Tougaard, ‘Probing deeper by hard x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy,’ Applied Physics Letters 104 (2014) 051608. [5] Ronny Knut, Rebecka Lindblad, Mihaela Gorgoi, Hà ¥kan Rensmo, Olof Karis, ‘High energy photoelectron spectroscopy in basic and applied science: Bulk and interface electronic structure’, Journal of Electron Spectroscopy and Related Phenomena 190 (2013) 278–288. [6] S. Ueda, ‘Application of hard X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy to electronic structure measurements for various functional materials,’ Journal of Electron Spectroscopy and Related Phenomena, 190 (2013) 235–241. [7] C. Dallera, L. Duo, L. Braicovich, G. Panaccione, G. Paolicelli, B. Cowie, J. Zegen- hagen, ‘Results and perspectives in hard X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (HAXPES) from solids’, Appl. Phys. Lett. 85 (2004) 4532. [8] B. Balke, G.H. Fecher, H.C. Kandpal, C. Felser, K. Kobayashi, E. Ikenaga, J.-J. Kim, S. Ueda, ‘Properties of the quaternary half-metal-type Heusler alloy Co2Mn1−xFexSi,’ Phys. Rev. B 74 (2006) 104405. [9] G.H. Fecher, B. Balke, S. Ouardi, C. Felser, G. Schà ¶nhense, E. Ikenaga, J.J. Kim, S. Ueda, K. Kobayashi J., ‘High energy, high resolution photoelectron spectroscopy of Co2Mn1−xFexSi,’ Phys. D: Appl. Phys. 40 (2007) 1576. [10] Keisuke Kobayashi, Masaaki Kobata, Hideo Iwai, ‘Development of a laboratory system hard X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and its applications,’ Journal of Electron Spectroscopy and Related Phenomena, 190 (2013) 210–221. [11] Takashi Fujikawa, Rie Suzuki,Hiroko Arai, Hiroshi Shinotsuka,Là ¡szlà ³ Kà ¶và ©r, ‘Nondipole effects in photoemission angular distribution excited by high-energy X-rays’, J. Electron Spectrosc. Relat. Phenom. 159 (2007) 14. [12] Rie Suzuki,Hiroko Arai,Hiroshi Shinotsuka,Takashi Fujikawa, ‘Theory of High-Energy Photoemission’, e-J. Surf. Sci. Nanotechnol. 3 (2005) 373. [13] Kobata M,Pà ­s I,Iwai H,Yamazui H,Takahashi H,Suzuki M,Matsuda H,Daimon H,Kobayashi K., ‘Development of the hard-X-ray angle resolved X-ray photoemission spectrometer for laboratory use’, Anal Sci.26 (2010) 227-32. [12] . In Heusler thin films of Co2MnSi and Fig. 1 shows the thin films covered with MgO, SiOx and the protective layers with AlOx or Ru, the thickness of the MgO and SiOx layers are from 1 nm to 20 nm. When it is covered with AlOx layer,

The Role of the Media in Rwandas Violence Essay -- History Media Viol

Many situations and acts that are unacceptable need a stressor. Stressors are situations and/or events that lead to a catastrophic outcome, such as the Rwanda genocide. The tension between both the Hutu and Tutsi already existed; it only needed something to reach its breaking point – a stressor. On April 6, 1994, the plane that occupied Juvenal Habyarimana, President of Rwanda, and Cyprien Ntaryamina, President of Burundi crashed due to unexplained circumstances. Over the next three months in Rwanda after the crash carrying both Presidents, mass killings began to occur. The kill count escaladed dramatically leaving one million Rwandans dead and two million seeking refugee status among its neighbors: Zaire, Tanzania, and Burundi (Kellow and Steeves 1998). This stressor is a key contribution to the events that followed; the Rwandan Genocide. â€Å"The rise in tension and violence, the wide distribution of arms to civilians and militia, and the increasingly vehement anit-Tutsi p ropaganda broadcast by Radio Libre de Mille Collines, all indicated the growing potency of ethnic hatred† (Uvin 1998, 83-84). Ethnic hatred centered on the hostility and segregation towards a particular group, in this case the Tutsi. The use of fear, rumor, and panic enabled the unsteady decline of trust between the Hutu and the Tutsi, which eventually escaladed to pure ethnic hatred (Kellow and Steeves, 1998; Straus, 2007; Uvin, 1998). The role of the media in the Rwandan genocide contributed to further violence and hatred among the Hutu and the Tutsi residents. One of the ways in which information could be obtained throughout Rwanda that was easily accessible was through public broadcasting particularly the radio. Through radio broadcasting it enables the public... ... Rwanda before RTLM took over its frequency during the early stages of the genocide (Thompson 2007, 390). Once again media is not the cause for the genocide but rather a tool that is used in advancing its devastation on a nation at a rapid rate. Works Cited Kellow, Christine L, and H. Leslie Steeves. "The Role of Radio in the Rwandan Genocide." Journal of Communication, 1998: 107-128. Li, Darryl. "Echoes of Violence: Consideration on Radio and Genocide in Rwanda." Journal of Genocide Research, 2004: 9-27. Straus, Scott. "What is the Relationship between Hate Radio and Violence? Rethinking Rwanda's "Radio Machete"." Politics & Society , 2007: 609-637. Thompson, Allan. The Media and the Rwanda Genocide. London: Pluto Press, 2007. Uvin, Peter. Aiding Violence: The Development Enterprise in Rwanda. Connecticut: Kumarian Press, Inc, 1998.

Capital Punishment Essay -- essays research papers

Capital punishment is the execution of criminals by the state for committing crimes so wicked that it is the only acceptable punishment. The debate over the death penalty has endured for years and has become increasingly controversial. According to an article written by Richard Worsnop, entitled "Death Penalty Debate Centers on Retribution," in 1966, 42% of Americans were in favor of capital punishment while 47% were opposed to it; in 1986, support for capital punishment was 80% for and only 17% against with 3% undecided. Most of the undecided voters said they would support capital punishment, if they had to vote on it immediately. Currently, public approval of the death penalty is about 70%. While some people are opposed to capital punishment, the majority is in favor of it. Therefore, the United States government should strictly enforce capital punishment in every state. Admittedly, the act of killing someone is immoral and "Thou shall not kill" is one of God's commandments. However, if it were not for the threat of execution, the murder rate in the United States would be far greater. According to the United States Bureau of Justice bulletin on capital punishment (1989), from 1955 to 1965, there were 78,500 murders and 351 executions in the United States; but from 1966 to 1976, when the death penalty was weakened, 288,310 murders were committed and only six executions were carried out. In order for capital punishment to work as d...

Archetypes in Harry Potter Essay -- Literary Analysis

Since the publication of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone in 1997, J.K. Rowling’s best-selling series has become enormously popular, evidenced in part by its translation into more than seventy languages (Plunkett). As its popularity has increased, it has been held in correspondingly higher esteem until Harry Potter finally joined the likes of Peter Pan and Robin Hood, and Rowling’s series was unofficially labeled Children’s Literature. Due to this station, it is being treated more seriously and examined more analytically. This attention has illuminated allusions and patterns that impose additional layers of meaning onto the story. Harry Potter’s quest, detailed through seven books and thousands of pages, includes archetypal characters, situations, and structure of a classic epic. The main character of a classic epic is the epic hero. This hero is usually male, and he performs courageous, even superhuman feats which â€Å"determine the fate of a nation† (Stephens). He â€Å"must undertake a long and perilous journey, often involving a descent into the underworld,† during which his â€Å"endurance, courage, and cunning† are tested (Characteristics of an Epic Hero). A trip to the Underworld is usually accompanied, at some point, by â€Å"epic games† and one or more â€Å"vision[s] of the future† (Stephens). Though the hero’s friends might be great warriors, â€Å"he undertakes a task that no one else dare attempt† (Characteristics of the Epic Hero). In the course of his development, the hero passes through three stages, each consisting of several steps: first, the hero departs the known world; then embarks upon the quest, is transformed, and achieves maturity; and finally, the hero must return to the known (The H ero's Journey). The storyline ultimately ... ...lunkett, Suzanne. "J.K. Rowling announces new book; Harry Potter fans react." 23 June 2011. The Washington Post. 6 June 2012 . Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. New York: Scholastic, Inc., 2007. —. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. New York: Scholastic, Inc., 2003. —. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. New York: Scholastic, Inc., 1997. Stephens, Jimmy. "Archetypes: Student Notes and Exercises." August 2007. 9 June 2012 . "The Hero's Journey." Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools. 8 June 2012 . Archetypes in Harry Potter Essay -- Literary Analysis Since the publication of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone in 1997, J.K. Rowling’s best-selling series has become enormously popular, evidenced in part by its translation into more than seventy languages (Plunkett). As its popularity has increased, it has been held in correspondingly higher esteem until Harry Potter finally joined the likes of Peter Pan and Robin Hood, and Rowling’s series was unofficially labeled Children’s Literature. Due to this station, it is being treated more seriously and examined more analytically. This attention has illuminated allusions and patterns that impose additional layers of meaning onto the story. Harry Potter’s quest, detailed through seven books and thousands of pages, includes archetypal characters, situations, and structure of a classic epic. The main character of a classic epic is the epic hero. This hero is usually male, and he performs courageous, even superhuman feats which â€Å"determine the fate of a nation† (Stephens). He â€Å"must undertake a long and perilous journey, often involving a descent into the underworld,† during which his â€Å"endurance, courage, and cunning† are tested (Characteristics of an Epic Hero). A trip to the Underworld is usually accompanied, at some point, by â€Å"epic games† and one or more â€Å"vision[s] of the future† (Stephens). Though the hero’s friends might be great warriors, â€Å"he undertakes a task that no one else dare attempt† (Characteristics of the Epic Hero). In the course of his development, the hero passes through three stages, each consisting of several steps: first, the hero departs the known world; then embarks upon the quest, is transformed, and achieves maturity; and finally, the hero must return to the known (The H ero's Journey). The storyline ultimately ... ...lunkett, Suzanne. "J.K. Rowling announces new book; Harry Potter fans react." 23 June 2011. The Washington Post. 6 June 2012 . Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. New York: Scholastic, Inc., 2007. —. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. New York: Scholastic, Inc., 2003. —. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. New York: Scholastic, Inc., 1997. Stephens, Jimmy. "Archetypes: Student Notes and Exercises." August 2007. 9 June 2012 . "The Hero's Journey." Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools. 8 June 2012 .