Educational Technology in small state countries The Maldives

Introduction This paper is aimed at discussing the adoption of educational technologies in such a country as the Maldives. It is necessary to focus on the geographic, demographic, and economic peculiarities of this state. Furthermore, much attention should be paid to the policies on information and communication technologies (ICTs). Additionally, one should understand the challenges that they face when establishing ICT.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Educational Technology in small state countries: The Maldives specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More One can argue that the policy-makers of this country appreciate the role of ITCs for the professional development of students. Nevertheless, they have to overcome infrastructural problems. This is the main argument that can be put forward. Maldives at a glance The Republic of Maldives includes 26 atolls that are located between the Chagos Archipelago and Minicoy Island (E llis, 2008, p. 4). According to the 2013 estimation, the population of the country numbers 393,988 people (Central Intelligence Agency, 2013). Dhivehi is the official language in the Maldives; however English is also widely spoken. The state can be described as a presidential republic. The economy of this country strongly depends on tourism, since this sector yields approximately 29 percent of the GDP (Central Intelligence Agency, 2013). These are some of the main aspects that need to be considered. Historical overview of education in Maldives It should be noted that in the educational system of this country has long been based on such organizations as edhuruge. This term is used to describe the gathering of children in some private home (Mohamed Ahmed, 1998, p. 1; Rao, 2005, p. 183). These schools were governed by local communities. One should bear in mind students, who attend edhuruges, only receive rudimentary knowledge of arithmetic and Quran (Mohamed Ahmed, 1998, p. 1). Curre ntly, there are attempts to make edhuruges more consistent with the academic standards that are set by the state (Gupta, 2007, p. 119). The Maldives Ministry of Education was formed in 1968 (International Bureau of Education, 2013). In turn, the decision of to unify national educational system was adopted only in 1978 (Mohamed Ahmed, 1998, p. 1).Advertising Looking for report on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More To a great extent, the changes in the educational system of this state can be explained by the developmental needs of the country. The sustainability of its economy was dependent on the availability of skilled labor. This is one of the issues that can be singled out. Present education system in the Maldives The Ministry of Education Currently, the Ministry of Education in the country consists of several departments or divisions. Among them, one can distinguish the Educational Development Centre, the Departmen t of Public Examinations, the Educational Development Centre, and other organizations (International Bureau of Education, 2013). These divisions have a wide scope of responsibilities and mandates. In particular, they are supposed to design national curriculum in schools and provide resources that should be used by teachers and learners. Apart from that, this institution has to promote professional development of educators (International Bureau of Education, 2013). These divisions are also responsible for the collection of data about the performance of schools and development of strategies that should benefit both learners and teachers. Overall, the main task of this ministry is to ensure that the education offered to people corresponds to the developmental needs of the country. Educational policies of the country The educational policies of the country are primarily aimed at improving the competencies of teachers. For example, it is possible to refer to the Professional Development Policy adopted in 2009 which is supposed to provide opportunities to educators. Therefore, these professionals have to attend workshops, seminars, online programs, workshops, and courses which help them to elaborate their instruction methods (International Bureau of Education, 2013). This policy is mostly intended for school teachers who need to spend at least 15 on the activities that promote the development of their skills. This is one of the aspects that can be singled out. Additionally, policy-makers attempt to eliminate the inequalities existing among schools located in different parts of the country. In particular, they want the schools located on various islands to have the same resources that are available to schools in Male which is the capital of the country. This strategy is also critical for the improvement of students’ academic performance.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Educational Technology in small state countries: The Maldives specif ically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More National curriculum focus The national curriculum developed in this country includes several developmental areas. First of all, one can speak about psychological, emotional and physical development of a child (Maldives Ministry of Education, 2001). Additionally, much attention is paid to the social skills of a learner and his/her ability to understand and follow Islamic norms of behavior (Maldives Ministry of Education, 2001). Finally, educators focus their attention of learners’ analytical and critical thinking skills that are essential for academic performance of students. Yet, it should be mentioned that the role of technologies and their use are not sufficiently stressed in the national curriculum. The policy-makers and educators refer to the skills that are necessary for economic activities, but they do not mention ICTs (Maldives Ministry of Education, 2001). This is one of the main limitations t hat should not be disregarded. Educational technology policies and objectives ICT competencies identified by UNESCO It should be mentioned that there are several ICTs competences that are identified by international organizations such as UNESCO (2011). In particular, they are related to such areas as project-based learning, group work, problem-solving and other learning activities of students (UNESCO 2011). They are essential for the cognitive development of a person (Price, 2012, p. 10). Furthermore, teachers should be able to use new instructional models which can better exploit the opportunities provided by information technologies. It is possible to distinguish the following competences: technology literacy or ability to apply ICTs; knowledge deepening or provision of learning materials and instructions which contribute to the development of students’ skills; knowledge creation or the promotion of learners’ ability to make innovations and generate new knowledge (U NESCO, 2011, p. 7). These are the main competencies that should be considered by educators. ICT development of the Maldives At present, the government of the country attempts to make ICTs more affordable. This is why they reduced import taxes imposed on computer equipment (Ahmed, 2004, p. 6). Moreover, the government wants to liberalize the market for Internet service providers (Ahmed, 2004, p. 5). These initiatives are vital for improvement of ICT infrastructure within the country (Foster, 2011, p. 75).Advertising Looking for report on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More One of the goals that are set by the state is to increase the PC literacy of students (Ahmed, 2004, p. 6). In order to achieve this goal, they provide computers to schools that are located in various regions of the country. Nevertheless, it is critical to remember that there are significant inequalities between various parts of the country (Hens, 2006, p. 193). For instance, the quality of Internet connection in Male is much better than in other regions. Similarly, the adoption of ITCs is much more widespread in schools located in the capital than in other parts of the Maldives. This is one of the problems that should be taken into account. Recent educational projects in Maldives Educational policies related to the implementation of ITCs Currently, the government attempts to improve IT infrastructure in educational organizations. One of their intentions is to make sure that computers are present in every secondary school (Government of Maldives, 2006, p. 91). In addition to that, po licy-makers stress the ability of teachers to incorporate ITCs into their lessons. On the whole, their overarching goal is to make information technologies a part of the educational process. This objective is critical for increasing the professional competitiveness of school graduates. ITC projects in education One can identify several projects are related to the implementation of information technologies. First of all, much attention should be paid to the establishment of Multipurpose Community Telecenter. This institution is supposed to provide learners with such resources as fax, voice mail, telephones, Internet, or TV (Survey of ICTs for Education in India and South Asia, 2010, p. 74). This organization will be intended for people who do not have access to ICTs in their local schools. Furthermore, Maldives Ministry of Education participates in the program called the Virtual University for Small States (Survey of ICTs for Education in India and South Asia, 2010, p. 74). This prog ram enables students to take the courses that are held in the universities of the United Kingdom, Canada, or Australia. To a great extent, this project is based on active use of information and communication technologies. They enabled students from the Maldives to interact with distinguished professors. Moreover, there are many initiatives that are supposed to improve the infrastructure of many schools. For instance, the government intends to provide a laptop to every teacher working in public schools (Survey of ICTs for Education in India and South Asia, 2010, p. 74). Yet, one should keep in many that many of these projects have not been fully implemented. Challenges in establishing ICT in Maldivian schools There are several obstacles that prevent the government of Maldives from establishing ICT in schools. First of all, people living in some remote areas of the country struggle with such problems as power cuts and poor internet connectivity (Ujaley, 2013). These difficulties are e ncountered by people living on the remote islands of the Maldives. Under such circumstances, information technologies cannot be effectively adopted. Furthermore, there is a lack of teachers who can effectively adopt implement ICTs in school. Many of them are not able to design lessons with the use of ITCs. This issue is also critical for understanding the challenges faced by this country. Conclusion The discussion of various problems suggests that the government of Maldives attaches importance to the role of information technologies. To a great extent, they are critical for human development in this country. They attempt to implement several projects that can enable students to improve their learning activities. Yet, there are some problems that cannot be overlooked. It is vital to remember that the economic and infrastructural differences between various regions of the country slow down the adoption of ICTs. Reference List Ahmed, I. (2004). Statistics and Indicators on ICTs in Mald ives. Retrieved from http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/ict/mexico04/doc/doc/42_mdv_e.pdf Central Intelligence Agency. (2013). The World Factbook: Maldives. Retrieved from https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/mv.html Ellis, R. (2008). Maldives. New York, NY: Bradt Travel Guides. Foster, M. (2011). Africa’s ICT Infrastructure: Building on the Mobile Revolution. New York, NY: World Bank. Government of Maldives. (2006). Seventh National Development Plan. Retrieved from http://www.planning.gov.mv/en/images/stories/ndp/seventh_ndp.pdf Gupta, A. (2007). Going to School in South Asia. New York, NY: Greenwood Publishing Group. Hens, L. (2006). The World Summit on Sustainable Development: The  Ã‚  Johannesburg Conference. New York, NY: Springer. International Bureau of Education. (2013). World Data on Education. Retrieved from http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0021/002113/211307e.pdf Maldives Ministry of Education. (2001). Highlights of the National Curriculum. Retr ieved from http://www.thauleem.net/edc/curriculum.html Mohamed, A., Ahmed, M. (1998). Maldives: Education policies, curriculum design  and implementation at the level of upper primary and general secondary education. Retrieved from http://www.ibe.unesco.org/curriculum/Asia%20Networkpdf/ndrepmv.pdf Price, H. (2012). The Really Useful Book of ICT in the Early Years. New York, NY: Routledge. Rao, D. (2005). Globalization and Living Together. Boston, MA: Discovery Publishing House. Survey of ICTs for Education in India and South Asia. (2010). Retrieved from http://www.infodev.org/infodev-files/resource/InfodevDocuments_880.pdf Ujaley, M. (2013). Education Minister Dr Asim Ahmed’s interview for Digital Learning  Magazine. Retrieved from http://www.moe.gov.mv/archives/238 UNESCO. (2011). UNESCO ICT Competency Framework. Retrieved from http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0021/002134/213475e.pdf This report on Educational Technology in small state countries: The Maldives was written and submitted by user Ayleen B. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Hardy describe Eustacia as being Essay Example

Hardy describe Eustacia as being Essay Example Hardy describe Eustacia as being Paper Hardy describe Eustacia as being Paper What kind of a woman does Hardy describe Eustacia as being? You should consider: * Where you would picture Eustacia as being, her native place * Character descriptions * The way Hardy describes her in contrast to other characters Eustacia Vye is a character within Thomas Hardys book, Return of the Native, who seems to be set apart from all the other characters. By this, I mean that Hardy describes her as unique and different from all other characters. The chapter devoted to Eustacia starts with a perfect description of her to reflect the way I think Hardy wanted her to be portrayed to the reader. Eustacia Vye was the raw material of divinity. This opening line immediately draws the reader into the illusion of mystery surrounding Eustacias character. We realise that she is not like the other characters in the book, and this is shown by Hardys references to her as a model goddess. This gives the reader the impression she is set apart from this world, with a status above every other character else in the book. I think Hardy describes Eustacia in this way to create this higher standing and instantly make the reader feel there is something unusual about Eustacia. Hardy creates this beautiful imagery of her soft, pale skin and her black hair that was so dark that a whole winter did not contain darkness enough to form its shadow and it was like nightfall extinguishing the western glow. This beautifully deep imagery once again draws the reader into creating this perfect, goddess like view of Eustacia. Hardy describes her temper showing through her hair as though it was static-like as she got irate, but stroking it down could calm it. This introduces a part of Eustacias actual persona. Hardy usually is describing her appearance and her general aura, rather than her actual personality, which I think he does to emphasize this enigmatic feeling about her character. Hardy describes her eyes as Pagan and full of nocturnal mysteries, highlighting this deep and secretive character. Hardy also introduces an exotic factor about Eustacia by describing her oppressive lids and lashes to be fuller than it normally is with English women. This again puts Eustacia apart from the other characters in the book, as though she doesnt quite fit in. : The exotic factor of Eustacia also is prevalent throughout the rest of the chapter. Hardy describes her presence as bringing memories of tropical midnights and eclipses of the sun. Both descriptions being almost supernatural to the people of Egdon Heath at that time, and definitely to the people in Hardys time. This exotic imagery makes you realise that Eustacia is meant to be in a place full of energy, people and life. She does not fit in on the heath, although I think secretly she has a passion for this quiet place that she spends so much time walking on. Even at night when one would consider it to be dangerous, Eustacia walks on Egdon Heath as though it has a quiet comfort for her, where she can imagine and dream of her life being more than it is. Eustacia again is described by Hardy to be a fiery and passionate woman with a flame-like soul. This draws attention to her wild and hot-blooded nature within the novel. It is also as though she is on edge and her temper can flare up quite irrationally. Hardy describes Eustacias eyes and lips frequently, which creates an image of great beauty and a desirable object in the readers eyes. She is portrayed as a temptress with her lips formed in geometric precision and the corners of her mouth being as clearly cut as the point of a spear. I think not only does this create a temptress imagery of Eustacia, but perhaps suggests that she can be a bit harsh in her speech. Also, it creates a definite perfection, without fault. The sharp form of her lips is only ruined by her sudden fits of gloom, suggesting that Eustacia is not content with life and her situation, as the chapter goes on to explain. To Eustacia, Egdon was her Hades. Her family and the reason for her being uprooted from Budmouth, which she loves, to Egdon, which she hates are revealed. She felt like one banished as though Egdon was a place she was taken to as punishment. Although it seems she hates the heath, I think she does fit it with its wild and unpredictable nature. However, Hardy describes her being on the heath to have stifled the warmth within her, implying that the heath has changed her and made her resign into herself, not displaying the best of her character. Hardy describes Eustacias main reason for unhappiness and loneliness in isolation and the prospect of a better life as being the want for love. To be loved to madness such was her great desire. Love was to her the one cordial which could drive away the eating loneliness of her days. And she seemed to long for the abstraction called passionate love more than for any particular lover. This desire to the reader seems to be the reason for Eustacias tempestuous temperament. Hardy describes her as being an unfulfilled woman due to her lack of love, and it seems that Egdon Heath, to Eustacia is the thing holding her back from gaining this. She longs for another place because the heath cannot provide her with her dreams. Her loneliness deepened her desire. What sets Eustacia apart from other characters in the book is also her educated mind and knowledge. I think Hardy describes her to be very intelligent, with some forwardness of mind and full of restless energy as to her, the tedium of the day of rest, namely Sunday, was frustrating for her, much like living on the heath is. The subtle beauties of the heath were lost to Eustacia; she only noticed the bad things after her analysing of it, which was her natural disposition to reflect on life. Although Eustacia is noted to desire for Wildeve and she even goes against normal social conduct for the time and be rebellious with him, there was only one circumstance which could dislodge him, and that was the advent of a greater man. Hardy describes her desire in this way because I think it sets up expectations for the reader for later on in the book, when Eustacias desires for Wildeve are forgotten when she has her sights set on Clym Yeobright. Eustacia seems to expect a lot from life, much more than the other characters in the book. She envisions herself as being in a different place, living a different lifestyle because she is above the other characters in the book. Hardy puts her on a pedestal with this image of perfection. However, this sets up expectations to the reader that this perfection may be ruined or is doomed. Hardy generally describes Eustacias overall nature, moods and appearance. This differs from descriptions of other characters in the book, which introduce more about the personality of the character. This perhaps reflects the ideas of women at the time it was written, or perhaps the view Hardy wants of Eustacia to be seen as by the reader. He shows her to be a desired object, angelic, but weak also, with feeble elements particularly in her moods and emotions. I think Eustacia would fit-in in a place that is full of life, conversation and vigour. She desires a place where is romance and passion are parts of her life. Hardy makes her seem to be fragile, but with a fiery persona and a high status, above everyone else in and around the Heath. She is immediately seen to be different and almost rebellious to the reader because of Hardys wild and distinctive descriptions of her.

Choosing a Path 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Choosing a Path 2 - Essay Example In the three divisions of business finance given by the SJSU, decision-making is a common required skill. Thus, as expected, critical thinking and analytical skills would be crucial should I be dealing with financial institutions, investments or corporate finance. The need to understand the function of money in corporate finance and management investment portfolios in investments would call for acquisition of logical and computation skills. Being self motivated and proactive would be crucial in understanding the events in the environment from which I would make informed and prudent decisions. Above all, skills in information technology would be useful in leveraging on technology to efficiently and effectively execute the assigned tasks. I, however, did not realize that communication skills would be that crucial for business finance major. In my view, finance is exclusively a numerical course. Therefore, all communication would be through logical representation of numbers to make sense to the audience. I thought that communication skills would perhaps be more critical to a marketing major as this course largely involves persuasion, thus the need for effective communication. However, the SJSU catalog on business finance indicates a requirement to pass in about three courses in writing. This shows the importance of communication in this course. Even so, I am ready to learn the communication skills required for a successful career in finance, writing not being new to me. This would be important to complement the technical skills that I will learn in finance. A majority of the courses expected for business finance major are interesting. Fundamentals of Finance seems interesting. As indicated in the SJSU catalog, this course would provide an understanding of how finance relates to others arms of business so as to influence decision-making. It would further educate on how financial resources are allocated in an

Book report, only if you have access to it Essay

Book report, only if you have access to it - Essay Example Cunliffe’s account of authentic and mystique European history is so enthralling, riveting, and has so many layers to it that one cannot help but feel like one is sitting in a cinema house watching one of the greatest movies of all time made about Europe. This is one of the most riveting aspects of this book that a simple reading transforms into a full-fletch journey complete with all the necessary embellishments required to keep a reader engaged throughout the reading process. In his book, Cunliffe starts from prehistoric times moving through the ancient to the medieval times. He views Europe as a highly strategically located continent owing to facing different seas from different sides. These seas have always played a phenomenal role in enriching the European civilization in terms of natural resources. There is a broad range of natural resources found in Europe which encourages a solid network of interaction and exchange among people. Many mechanisms of intricate complexity underlie the survival and development of the early Europeans. Cunliffe frequently draws on evidence from anthropology, history, and archeology to explicate these underlying mechanisms to the readers. The book proves itself to be a highly educational read as it expertly structures a completely new and enriched understanding of old Europe in a reader’s mind. As a skilled writer who has over a dozen books to his name in his resume, Cunliffe does not leave any details unexplored in this book also. His version of ancient history is almost cinematic. There is amazing photography in the book as well which serves to complement the archeological evidence presented by the author. This is not the kind of book which one can take and just read on the go. It refuses to receive ordinary treatment from a reader because many concepts do not properly diffuse through the brain unless a person properly concentrates

Psychology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 9

Psychology - Essay Example Selye’s studies showed that the body responds in the same way to any stress, be it positive events (new job) or negative circumstances (failure, embarrassment, trouble at school, a stormy romance). ALARM STAGE: Alarm stage suggests that the body is in the generalized arousal state, wherein the body mobilizes its resources to cope with stressors. The pituitary gland signals the adrenal glands to produce and release stress hormones: adrenaline, noradrenaline, and cortisol. As these stress hormones are dumped into the bloodstream, some bodily processes are rushed others are slowed, allowing bodily resources to be applied where they are needed. We should all be thankful that our bodies automatically respond to emergencies. However, brilliant as this emergency system is, it can also cause problems. In the first phase of the alarm reaction, people have such symptoms as headache, fever, fatigue, sore muscles, shortness of breath, diarrhea, upset stomach, loss of appetite, and lack of energy. Notice that these are also the symptoms of stressful travel, of high-altitude sickness, of anxiety, of pressure in the courtroom interrogation, or final exams week, and possibly of falling in love! RESISTANCE STAGE: During the resistance stage, the body continues to resist the stressors. As the body’s defenses come into balance, symptoms of the alarm reaction disappear. Outwardly, everything seems normal. However, this appearance of normality comes at a high cost. The body is better able to cope with the original stressor, example, animals placed in extreme cold become more resistant to the cold, but more susceptible to infection. It is during the stage of resistance that the first signs of psychosomatic disorders begin to appear. EXHAUSTION STAGE: Continued stress leads to the stage of exhaustion in which the body’s resources are drained and stress hormones are depleted. The body is susceptible to disease and even death in this stage. Unless you found a way of

The Press In Mauritius

The Press In Mauritius Introduction For the health of democracy, access to information is really essential. In any democracy, citizens have the rights and responsibilities to participate in public matters. Knowledge about a society is obtained through free debates, newspapers, magazines, television and radio. All these are possible when there exist a free and independent press. In all democratic countries, freedom of the press has been a treasured right. Press freedom is a pillar of democracy  [1]  . Often, the press is referred as the fourth pillar of a country  [2]  . Such freedom should be free from interference of the state. The preservation of the freedom of the press may be done through constitutional or legal protections. In the present chapter, the definition and the importance of the press freedom will be analyzed first. Then, the evolution and development of the written and audio-visual press in Mauritius will be examined before considering the constitutional foundation of the freedom of the press of the country. Section 1: Freedom of the press Definition of Freedom of the Press Everywhere in the world, the meaning of press freedom differs. Different countries possess different degrees of freedom of the press  [3]  . This suggests that freedom of the press is not absolute in the world  [4]  . In universal terms, defining freedom of the press is difficult. Various definitions to freedom of the press have been attributed by different scholars and in many text books. Lieberman (1953) defined freedom of the press as the right to serve, without government interference and with police protection, and the most fundamental right of freedom of information  [5]  . As for Dennis and Merrill (1996), freedom of the press is the right to communicate ideas, opinions, and information through the printed world without government restraint  [6]  . For both authors, the right to share information and no government intrusion is among the main elements of this freedom. For other scholars, free press is an independent adversary  [7]  performing the function of watchdog preventing the State from aggrandizing and abusing the rights of its citizen. Freedom of the press is not only the right of media; it is the right of the citizens also. Going back to history, in 1791, freedom of the press was legally guaranteed by the U.S Constitution, congress shall make no lawà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦abridging the freedom of speech or of the pressà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ã‚  [8]  . Freedom of the press was recognized by the National Assembly of France in the Article 11 of the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen. This freedom was considered to be a fundamental right in Europe and in the United States. In 1948, the United Nations declared it a universal right and adopted Article 19 of the UDHR  [9]  . Freedom of the press is derived from the fundamental right of freedom of information. The latter is a human right and the touchstone of all the freedoms. It implies the right to gather, transmit and publish news anywhere and everywhere without fetters  [10]  . The rights to seek and to disseminate information are of particular importance to the press. Along with freedom of information, freedom of expression also plays an essential role in press freedom. In Hossenbaccus v. Le Mauricien  [11]  , it was held that Freedom of expression is fundamental. It is an essential instrument for the advancement of knowledge and must indeed be well guarded to enable the press to fulfill its social obligation to inform the public. Freedom of expression comprehends the freedom of propagation, publication and circulation of ideas  [12]  Ã‚  [13]  . Freedom of circulation and distribution of the matter are also included in press freedom. So freedom of expression and freedom of press are in tertwined. The Importance of Freedom of the Press Press freedom is considered as the most important freedom by informal writers, jurists and political philosophers  [14]  . Freedom of the press has always been the most effective instrument for the functioning of a democratic society. It helps in human development and good governance. The role that press freedom plays in our society will determine its importance. An independent media sector acts as watchdog on the government, holding it accountable to the public as well as helping citizen to have a better knowledge on political choices. It focuses on social problems and also provides a public forum, for several voices in public debate. On behalf of the public, the press serves as a watchdog to avoid government wrongdoings. Government officials are not always accountable and transparent to the people. So the fourth estate investigates in the States records to examine and evaluate, and hold the officials accountable for their actions. The press keeps the public officials responsible to the public as they are expected to serve them  [15]  . In countries like Taiwan, Brunetti and Weder, free press has helped in reducing corruptions  [16]  . There are eight purposes that the press should look forward in a democratic society: supervision on the political environment, determined agenda-setting, floors for a responsive and illuminating advocacy, channel for dialog on various range of views, safeguarding the rights of citizen and ensuring they are heard, inducements for people to be involved, respecting the citizens and promoting equality  [17]  . However, these goals often have to face obstacles. In a democratic society, the citizens need to be well-informed in order to make and exchange opinions on the actions of government officials and the elected representatives. A central purpose of press freedom is to build up an educated and well-informed electorate  [18]  that will form opinions on public maters and on their political leaders. Politicians also will have the opportunity to comment on the publics opinion. Thus, everyone will participate in a free political debate which is a core concept of a democratic society  [19]  . Freedom of the press is important in the way that the liberty of the press is essential in arousing public spirit and this can be used against the ambition of autocratic authority; this is apparent with independent newspapers because they have a tendency to be aware of public discontents and changes. In short, press freedom acts as an agency which controls arbitrary power. A free press can be said to be a market of ideas  [20]  which helps people to evolve, mobilize and form new ideas in the public area. For the working of democracy, public criticism is fundamental  [21]  . Section 2: Evolution and Development of the Written and Audio Visual Press in Mauritius 2.1 Written Press The history of the printed press in Mauritius can be traced back to 1767 with the first printing materials which Pierre Poivre introduced in the island. One year after, the Imprimerie Royale was created. However, the oldest printing was claimed to be an almanac printed in 1457. Isle de France, now known as Mauritius, was among one of the first colonial countries, which owned a newspaper industry. On 13th January 1773, Nicolas Lambert issued the first newspaper Annonces, Affiches et Avis Divers Pour Les Colonies des Isles de France et Bourbon. As the chief editor was a Government officer and the newspaper was printed by the Government press, this shows that the issue was barely a free one. The second newspaper started in 1786 under the name Journal des Isles de France et de Bourbon by two young lawyers named Durrans and Brun. This one was absolutely literary compared to the third paper, Journal Hebdomadaire de la Colonie, issued in 1791, which was partly political. On the 5th January 1792, the Colonial Assembly published two weekly papers, one which contained the minutes of its proceedings and its administrative committee. This one was known as Journal des Assemblà ©es and the other one as Gazette de Isle de France which contained public notices, advertisements and the other matters of public interest. The first political paper was lObservateur which appeared only in 1816. Nearly one thousand newspapers and magazines have appeared namely Annales des Modes des Spectacles et de Littà ©rature Rà ©crà ©atives, Dà ©dià ©es aux Dames  [22]  but most of them had a short life-span. There was censor on the press in the colonies at that time. Article XI  [23]  of the decree of human rights provided that La libre communication des pensà ©es et des opinions est lun des droit les plus prà ©cieux de lhomme. Tout citoyen peut donc, parler, à ©crire, imprimer librement (à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦). This was attempted by the French revolution to put an end to censor. During the English colonization, Adrien DEpinay was the first one to bring Freedom of the Press to Mauritius. In 1832, He was the first one to use the freedom by publishing Le Cà ©rnà ©en. It was the oldest French white-owned newspaper and it survived until 1982. Another landmark in the history of the press is the publishing of La Sentinelle. It was founded by Rà ©my Ollier, a coloured man, in the 1950s. The coloured ownership of the media helped this community in legitimizing their rights in the colonial times. The term coloured changed to the label Creole and in 1920s, a creole family took over Le Mauricien, a white-owned paper which was established in 1908. As from the 1960s, newspapers like Action and LExpress  [24]  were introduced and at that time, the Mauritian press modernized and international standards were adopted. Techniques like reports and personal enquiries were brought in. They are nowadays the bedrock of every press whether written, spoken or visual. Between 1832 and 1973 the general format of newspapers was four pages with mostly advertisements. In the local news, there were parliamentary meetings of the Government and of the sole Municipality of the island, Municipality of Port Louis. From this it can be understood that parliamentarians, mayors or politicians were head of the publishing houses. Today, Lexpress changes to 24 pages as compared to before it were only 4 pages and for Le Mauricien it is 48 pages as compared to earlier it was 16 pages. They are the daily papers one in the morning and the second in the afternoon. Nowadays we have Le Dà ©fi Quotidien which is a daily paper also. There are also a number of w eekly papers in Mauritius such as, 5 Plus Dimanche, Bollywood Massala, LExpress Dimanche, Le Dimanche/LHebdo, Le Dà ©FI Plus, Le Matinal, Samedi Plus, Week End , Star and Sunday Times. A number of papers in oriental languages were also published. Anjuman Islam Maurice was the first one which appeared on 1st March 1883 firstly. Mirza Ahmode was the founder and the paper was published in Hindustani and Gujurati. From 1906 to 1914 a weekly paper, LIslamisme appeared in French, Gujurati, and Urdu. The eminent Indian lawyer, Manilall Maganlal Doctor, launched The Hindustani on 15th March 1909 in English and Gujurati. Mauritius Arya Pratika was edited by Pandit Acshinath Kistoe from 1924 to 1940 and it appeared in English and Hindi. From 1929 to 1973 two papers appeared namely Arya Vir and Zamana with the last one which was launched in 1948. They appeared in English, Hindi, French and Tamil. On 11th August 1932, Chinese Daily was launched and it was the first daily Chinese paper. Then the China Times came in 1953 by Long Siong Ah Keng. Other Chinese language papers were launched; Chinese Newspaper (1953-1975), Central Daily News (1960-1967), The Mirror and LAurore. The evolution of the written press has been noted in terms of availability, varieties, content and style of reporting. With changes like technology, nowadays papers are printed with the use of computers as compared to before where printing was done in led. As seen above, there was only reporting about news, local and abroad, only. Nowadays, a number of articles have been introduced in the press like editorials on sports, women and children. Concerning accessibility, a wide range of newspapers and magazines are available on the market, locally. Each one differs from each other in order to capture a maximum of readers. Newspapers is said to be our key companion in our everyday life and it will continue to be so. 2.2 Audio Visual Press The press is not limited to written only; there is the audio visual press. Audio visual plays a great role in communication. It was on the 9th of August 1927 that Mauritius experienced its first radio broadcasting, which was done by Charles Jollivet. It was then called Radio Maurice. The station was situated in Beau Bassin and later moved to the Plaza Theatre in Rose hill. Music and news were broadcasted for only 2 hours every day. In 1937, a second station came into existence under the name Socià ©tà © des Radiophilles by Mr P.Adam. It was located at Mr. Adam residence in Forest Side and later transferred to the Town Hall in Curepipe. The station was used to transmit message to the members of the Socià ©tà © mainly. At the beginning of the 2nd World War in 1939, these two stations were controlled by the British Ministry of Defense. Information that was broadcasted was done locally only. By the end of the 2nd World War, another station was set up in Curepipe Town Hall under the aegis of Radio France Libre DOutremers. This station was merged with Socià ©tà © des Radiophilles and this gave birth to the national broadcasting station as from 1st July 1944 under the name Mauritius Broadcasting Service (MBS). The studio was situated in Plaza, Rose Hill until 1946 when the station moved to Pasteur Street, Forest Side. As from 2011, MBC was transferred to Moka. After the radio, the TV broadcasting was introduced on a pilot basis on the 8th June 1946 as the Mauritius Broadcasting Corporation (MBC). The inaugural broadcast was launched on 8th February 1965 with a transmission of about 3 hours every evening. The MBC was set up in order to build a sense of nationhood and for islanders to welcome independence (that change in 1968). The first outdoor TV live broadcast was on the royal visit of Princess Alexandra in 1968. Later, in 1973, the process of black and white television occurred. During that year, news editor were engaged to record press conference and other local events. On 7th November 1987, television was welcomed in Rodrigues and the duration of 3 hours changed to 13 hours daily. In the 1990s, the two main channels  [25]  were implemented. Liberalisation of broadcast media was done in 2002 and this gave the Mauritian audience the choice between the MBC and three other private radios. Radio One was launched on 13th March 2002, Radio Plus on 13th April 2002 and Top FM on 31st December 2002. The MBC radio now consists of 7 stations; RM1, RM2, Kool FM, Taal FM, World Hit FM, Best FM and Music FM. The MBC has evolved in digital switchover, thematic channel (Knowledge channel, Movie channel, Tourism and Culture channel) and language channel (Marathi, Tamil, Urdu, Telegu and Mandarin). Mauritian audiences nowadays have a variety of information and different coverage and views of the same stories. Throughout history, the Mauritian press has gained a lot and more is expected to come with, the liberalisation of television channels in the forthcoming years. Section 3: Constitutional Foundation of Freedom of the Press Mauritius has a written constitution in which certain fundamental rights are guaranteed as specified in Chapter Two of the Constitution. Of these, Section 12 relates to freedom of expression. It would be useful to refer to the text of these causes of section 12 at once: (1) Except with his own consent, no person shall be hindered in the enjoyment of his freedom of expression, that is to say, freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart ideas and information without interference, and freedom from interference with his correspondence. (2) Nothing contained in or done under the authority of any law shall be held to be inconsistent with or in contravention of this section to the extent that the law in question makes provisionà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Compared to countries like the U.S.A, there is no separate provision guaranteeing the freedom of the press in our constitution. Our supreme court has held in Duval v The Commissioner of Police  [26]  and in London Satellite Systems Ltd. V State and ors  [27]  that freedom of the press needs not to be mentioned separately as it is already in the guarantee of freedom of expression. The latter comprehends the freedom of propagation, publication and circulation  [28]  . The scope of press freedom is circumscribed by the interpretation given by S12 because there is a link between freedom of press and freedom of expression. The arguments for and the limitations upon both freedoms should be compatible. For instance in Cie de Beau Vallon Ltà ©e v Nilkomol  [29]  it was held that freedom of expression referred to, (in the Constitution), cannot override legally established norms to which it is subordinated and which must be respected: the use of words like public order, public morality and rights and freedoms of others. The same applies to press freedom in the press industry. Fundamental Rights and Freedoms that are found in our Constitution are modeled on the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms and our Section 12 was borrowed  [30]  from its Article 10  [31]  . The rights of privacy and free expression are treated as fundamental rights having equal status. According to this view, the two rights must be proportionate. One will not inevitably trump the other  [32]  . Freedom of the Press rests on the same cornerstones as Freedom of Expression. It can be argued that there is simple iteration since protection of freedom of expression is already been catered for in our Constitution. This can give rise to the introduction of a separate press clause in our Constitution. Under Mauritian Law, press freedom gives journalists a right to obtain information from private sources on a voluntary basis only. The press cannot compel citizens to release information about themselves which they are unwilling to disclose. A separate press clause may provide this privilege.

Important Symbols of Taoism

Throughout history, Taoism has been one of the most influential religions in the Eastern culture. It is one of the most unique of all religions. In fact, many Taoists do not even consider it as a religion, and in many ways it is not. They make no claim that Tao exists. Although very different from others, Taoism also has very important unique symbols. Yin yang diagram, the most important symbol of Taoist represents the movement of heaven or the Tao. The small dots represent the fact that there is good in the evil, as there is evil in the good. Another important symbol of Taoism is the eight trigrams or pakua.Last but not least the dragon is one of the yang symbols, which represents the power, sage and saint. The Yin Yang sign is an old symbol for the universe that has been combined. It shows the two opposing dimensions that give the world its dynamics. It’s used to describe how seemingly contrary forces are joined and dependent in the natural world, and how they give rise to e ach other in turn. Opposites thus only exist in relation to one another. Male and female, light and dark, hot and cold, are thought as demonstration of Yin Yang. The outer circle represents the universe to which all exists.There is a belief that Yin Yang link to good and evil. Taoism believes that even in the most innocent nice people there is evil within them, and even the devil has good inside of him. The eight trigrams of pakua is a group of symbols that hold profound meaning in Chinese philosophy. These symbols represent movement and change. Each of the trigrams is associated with a season, family member, animal, personality, etc. They are ordered into two different arrangements. Primary heaven and future heaven. The arrangements represent the four basic and four minor directions on the compass. South is first at the top.Whichever symbol is at the top represents South. The primary heaven arrangement is organized based on opposite forces. The primary Heaven arrangement is organiz ed on the cyclic nature of the world. The eight trigrams are Heaven-Sky-Air, Earth, Water, Fire, Wind, Thunder, Lake Valley, and Mountain. Lastly, the Yin Yang dragons combine really powerful ideas. The yang dragons radiate a bright, positive charge. This energy is really physical, and often, brave, and outgoing. The Yin dragon’s energy is totally the opposite. Influenced by the planet Venus, Yin dragons release a negative energy.This darker type of energy is usually in a female nature. No matter what the religion is, symbols play a big role. There is profound meaning into such insignificant objects. The Yin Yang diagram, the most important symbol of Taoism, the eight trigrams of pakua that represent movement and change, and the powerful Yin Yang dragons. Citations: . Center of Traditional Taos. . Cdot. org. 26 Nov. 2010. Zhou GuoXin. . Important Symbols of Taoism Throughout history, Taoism has been one of the most influential religions in the Eastern culture. It is one of the most unique of all religions. In fact, many Taoists do not even consider it as a religion, and in many ways it is not. They make no claim that Tao exists. Although very different from others, Taoism also has very important unique symbols. Yin yang diagram, the most important symbol of Taoist represents the movement of heaven or the Tao. The small dots represent the fact that there is good in the evil, as there is evil in the good. Another important symbol of Taoism is the eight trigrams or pakua.Last but not least the dragon is one of the yang symbols, which represents the power, sage and saint. The Yin Yang sign is an old symbol for the universe that has been combined. It shows the two opposing dimensions that give the world its dynamics. It’s used to describe how seemingly contrary forces are joined and dependent in the natural world, and how they give rise to e ach other in turn. Opposites thus only exist in relation to one another. Male and female, light and dark, hot and cold, are thought as demonstration of Yin Yang. The outer circle represents the universe to which all exists.There is a belief that Yin Yang link to good and evil. Taoism believes that even in the most innocent nice people there is evil within them, and even the devil has good inside of him. The eight trigrams of pakua is a group of symbols that hold profound meaning in Chinese philosophy. These symbols represent movement and change. Each of the trigrams is associated with a season, family member, animal, personality, etc. They are ordered into two different arrangements. Primary heaven and future heaven. The arrangements represent the four basic and four minor directions on the compass. South is first at the top.Whichever symbol is at the top represents South. The primary heaven arrangement is organized based on opposite forces. The primary Heaven arrangement is organiz ed on the cyclic nature of the world. The eight trigrams are Heaven-Sky-Air, Earth, Water, Fire, Wind, Thunder, Lake Valley, and Mountain. Lastly, the Yin Yang dragons combine really powerful ideas. The yang dragons radiate a bright, positive charge. This energy is really physical, and often, brave, and outgoing. The Yin dragon’s energy is totally the opposite. Influenced by the planet Venus, Yin dragons release a negative energy.This darker type of energy is usually in a female nature. No matter what the religion is, symbols play a big role. There is profound meaning into such insignificant objects. The Yin Yang diagram, the most important symbol of Taoism, the eight trigrams of pakua that represent movement and change, and the powerful Yin Yang dragons. Citations: . Center of Traditional Taos. . Cdot. org. 26 Nov. 2010. Zhou GuoXin. .

Poverty Dilemmas that Canadians are Facing Today Essay

Abstract In this paper, it will be arguing how Canada hasn’t begun to fix the poverty situation that many Canadians deal with in a daily bases. Structural Functionalism Theory, Conflict Theory and the Feminist Perspective are going to be used in for this argument in this paper. This will give reader a better understanding and depth of the country’s Poverty issues that are currently taken place. It describes a brief history of poverty to today’s current issues in our communities, and what are some of the solutions we could do to fix poverty in Canada. This issue of poverty is very important to the writer, as she went through it with her family many years ago. Poverty Effect in Canada Canada is known for helping other countries when in need. However in reality Canada neglects to fix their own dilemmas, such as the poverty issues that many Canadians are facing today. Although it is a good deed helping other people in need across the world, then again Canada should focus on finding solutions, and planning how to help those in need in our homeland first. It is like the saying you cannot help anyone unless you help yourself out first. Canada’s main focuses should be the population that is affected by poverty, what exactly is causing this situation and how could the fix the one of big problems Canadians are dealing with. Since the time of the great depression poverty had gradually increased and with families growing, Canada began to look at their Welfare State and implemented social programs the citizen for a better quality of life. By the 1960’s Jenny Podoluk measurement technique was use by Statistics Canada to estimate the number of Canadians living in poverty. Results showed by 1961 approximately by 25% were living in poverty and by the 1969 population was 18% (Statistics Canada). Although there had been improvements by the 1980’s, it slowly grew from bad to worse in the 1990’s. Due to the growth of unreliable job and the cuts of social programs , the poverty rate were much higher and long –term poverty for many vulnerable groups such as; visible minorities, immigrants, newcomers, aboriginals, and people with disabilities. Canada currently does not have any official definition of poverty, not even proper steps or precautions are being put in place to  prevent or supp ort people in poverty. Canada has no official measure of poverty because Statistics Canada states, that unless politicians express social concern for the issues at hand, nothing will be done in order to solve and deal with poverty in Canada. In 2005 child and family poverty rate were much higher than in 1989. It was estimated about 3.4 million of the population live in poverty. In recent years Canada falls in 7th place out of 17 countries rating for poverty and inequality, graded a â€Å"B†, and given a good job but Canada is still not good enough (Conference Board, 2013). Since 1989 the House of Commons decided to resolve and eliminate the Children poverty rate by the year 2000. However despite the decision to eliminate Child poverty, no actual plan was design or progress reports were done. Throughout this period, rates of poverty both decrease and increase, currently the rates are still considered to be high, although Canada is one of the wealthiest countries in the world. When analyzing through a conflict perspective theory, poverty can be seen and understood, by the following example; a worker who is exploited by the employer of a big company, by when the worker does all the work and effort the Bourgeoisie profits and benefits from the labour of the proletariat (Mooney, Holmes, Knox, Schacht, 333). This is one of the many theories that can be used in the Canadian of Poverty. Other view on how society perceives poverty is Structural Functionalist Perspective Theory. This view describes poverty as positive aspects for the dominant groups of society. Poor people are often viewed as the lazy, unskilled, and a burden to society. They are often stuck doing the dirty, dangerous, and difficult work, the other individuals will refuse to do. Many have debated this theory to be that the dominant group exploits with power and inequality, towards those in poverty. Another view of poverty is that is gender bias, that women are mostly like to live in poverty then m en are, for this approach we going to discuss the Feminist Perspective. In 2006, 54 % of women lived in poverty ages 18 and over (NAPO 2006). This perspective uses the gender-based analysis, which works to understand the structures that contribute to women in poverty. Another interesting factor about this perspective is that it using the narrative analysis which focuses on women’s experiences with a symbolic approach which is put into data interpretation. These are few of the many issues of poverty we face today in our communities; food banks are crisis because of the high  in demand of people in need. Housing is another important factor as millions of people worry about being able to make rent payments, and finding affordable living places where they do not have to worry about living paycheck to paycheck. A study was conducted from t McMaster University in 2010 for the City of Hamilton, Ontario it showed that people living in poverty are most likely to die rather than those who are not living in poverty. It showed a 21 year difference of life expectancy, which were outrages and unacceptable facts that we must be aware of, in order to make a change. What we as a community could do to help those dealing with poverty crisis. First we must create awareness through education, media (i.e.; radio, internet, television), government, fundraiser, and through our communities. By doing so we increase the knowledge, of society, to help eliminate poverty in Canada, this country is known for its strong, free, and sustainable living. However not many know about Canada poverty crisis. We must also conduct research, to study in depth the cause and effects of poverty. Only then can we implement programs, or support gear towards the individuals in need. Other factor to consider and should be changed is to increase the minimum wage for those in need of support and basic necessities. By creating more employment and benefits is another way government officials can assist these individuals. In addition it is important to provide skill workshops and employment training for people in dealing with difficulties in obtaining employment. Things must be done In order to help those in poverty, to develop a better living for all in the present and for the future generations to come. Furthermore through history as discussed above we seen and understood that not all social programs, which the government had put in place to deal with this issue, have not worked out. Due to the lack of commitment and study of this subject, government continues to disregard and not care about the dilemmas of poverty. Government officials must pay attention to people and focus on how they could help. In order to do so a good starting point would be to listen to what the people need, and their challenges they are dealing with. As a community everyone should make an ideal and attainable goal, to reduced or end poverty. Imagine if we were to eliminate poverty, what would the effects on crime, health problems, drug  abuse, family problems, prejudice and racism and international conflict would be like. Picture everyone living in peace and harmon y wouldn’t that be a dream or goal worth wanting. If Canadian government continues to neglect the issue at hand, without support and commitment, poverty will not only become a bigger devastating problem, and it will endure to mass destruction of our country. References Mooney, L. A., Holmes, M. M., Knox, D. & Schacht, C. (2012). Understanding social problems. Nelson. (4th ed). Canada without poverty > poverty . (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.cwp-csp.ca/poverty/ Collin, C. Political and Social Affairs Division, (2007). Poverty reduction in Canada – the federal role (PRB 07-22E). Retrieved from website: http://www.parl.gc.ca/content Hoeppner, C. (2010). house of commons Canada federal poverty reduction plan: Working in partnership towards reducing poverty in Canada . Retrieved from website: www.parl.gc.ca/content Guest, D. (2012). Social security. In Retrieved from http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/articles/social-security (2008). How is poverty measured in Canada?. Retrieved from website: http://www.gov.ns.ca/coms/department/backgrounders/poverty/Poverty_Stats-May2008.pdf Annual report 2012. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.foodbankscanada.ca/getmedia/46650005-3c7f-4637-ae7e-43f5f1464f05/FBC_AR12_ENG_FINAL.pdf.aspx?ext=.pdf Ross, D., & Lochhead, C. (2012). Poverty. In K. Scott (Ed.), Retrieved from http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/articles/poverty Canada falling behind on poverty, inequality, says report. (2013, February 4). CBC News Canada. Retrieved from http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2013/02/01/business-canada-society-report-card.html Poverty. (2011, 11 3). Retrieved from http://senatorarteggleton.ca/Issues/Poverty/PovertyFactSheet.aspx Poverty in Canada. (2008, April 29). Retrieved from http://www.cpj.ca/en/content/poverty-canada

How to Use Repetition to Develop Effective Paragraphs

How to Use Repetition to Develop Effective Paragraphs An important quality of an effective paragraph is unity. A unified paragraph sticks to one topic from start to finish, with every sentence contributing to the central purpose and main idea of that paragraph. But a strong paragraph is more than just a collection of loose sentences. Those sentences need to be clearly connected so that readers can follow along, recognizing how one detail leads to the next. A paragraph with clearly connected sentences is said to be cohesive. Repetition of Key Words Repeating keywords in a paragraph is an important technique for achieving cohesion. Of course, careless or excessive repetition is boring- and a source of clutter. But used skillfully and selectively, as in the paragraph below, this technique can hold sentences together and focus the readers attention on a central idea. We Americans are a charitable and humane people: we have institutions devoted to every good cause from rescuing homeless cats to preventing World War III. But what have we done to promote the art of thinking? Certainly we make no room for thought in our daily lives. Suppose a man were to say to his friends, Im not going to PTA tonight (or choir practice or the baseball game) because I need some time to myself, some time to think? Such a man would be shunned by his neighbors; his family would be ashamed of him. What if a teenager were to say, Im not going to the dance tonight because I need some time to think? His parents would immediately start looking in the Yellow Pages for a psychiatrist. We are all too much like Julius Caesar: we fear and distrust people who think too much. We believe that almost anything is more important than thinking.(Carolyn Kane, from Thinking: A Neglected Art. Newsweek, December 14, 1981) Notice that the author uses various forms of the same word- think, thinking, thought- to link the different examples and reinforce the main idea of the paragraph. (For the benefit of budding rhetoricians, this device is called polyptoton.) Repetition of Key Words and Sentence Structures A similar way to achieve cohesion in our writing is to repeat a particular sentence structure along with a keyword or phrase. Although we usually try to vary the length and shape of our sentences, now and then we may choose to repeat a construction to emphasize connections between related ideas. Heres a short example of structural repetition from the play Getting Married by George Bernard Shaw: There are couples who dislike one another furiously for several hours at a time; there are couples who dislike one another permanently; and there are couples who never dislike one another; but these last are people who are incapable of disliking anybody. Notice how Shaws reliance on semicolons (rather than periods) reinforces the sense of unity and cohesion in this passage. Extended Repetition On rare occasions, emphatic repetitions may extend beyond just two or three main clauses. Not long ago, the Turkish novelist Orhan Pamuk provided an example of extended repetition (specifically, the device called anaphora) in his Nobel Prize Lecture, My Fathers Suitcase: The question we writers are asked most often, the favorite question, is: Why do you write? I write because I have an innate need to write. I write because I can’t do normal work as other people do. I write because I want to read books like the ones I write. I write because I am angry at everyone. I write because I love sitting in a room all day writing. I write because I can partake of real life only by changing it. I write because I want others, the whole world, to know what sort of life we lived, and continue to live, in Istanbul, in Turkey. I write because I love the smell of paper, pen, and ink. I write because I believe in literature, in the art of the novel, more than I believe in anything else. I write because it is a habit, a passion. I write because I am afraid of being forgotten. I write because I like the glory and interest that writing brings. I write to be alone. Perhaps I write because I hope to understand why I am so very, very angry at everyone. I write because I like to be read. I write because once I have begun a novel, an essay, a page I want to finish it. I write because everyone expects me to write. I write because I have a childish belief in the immortality of libraries, and in the way my books sit on the shelf. I write because it is exciting to turn all life’s beauties and riches into words. I write not to tell a story but to compose a story. I write because I wish to escape from the foreboding that there is a place I must go but- as in a dream- can’t quite get to. I write because I have never managed to be happy. I write to be happy.(The Nobel Lecture, 7 December 2006. Translated from the Turkish, by Maureen Freely. The Nobel Foundation 2006) Two well-known examples of extended repetition appear in our Essay Sampler: Judy Bradys essay Why I Want a Wife (included in part three of the Essay Sampler) and the most famous portion of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.s I Have A Dream speech. Final Reminder: Needless repetition that only clutters our writing should be avoided. But the careful repetition of keywords and phrases can be an effective strategy for fashioning cohesive paragraphs.

Your ACT Superscore Calculator

Your ACT Superscore Calculator SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Planning and trying to reach your ACT target score can be stressful and frustrating. You got a 36 in Math on one test date and a 35 in Reading on another test date. Why can’t you just get all of your highest individual section scores on the same test date? If you’re applying to colleges that superscore the ACT, you don’t have to worry about that. So what is an ACT superscore? And how do you calculate it? In this post, I’ll explain what superscoring means, how to create your own ACT superscore calculator, and how superscoring affects your test-prep strategy. What’s an ACT Superscore? An ACT superscore is a new final composite score that is made up of your best individual section scores across all ACT tests you took. These best individual section scores are averaged to create a brand new composite ACT score. In case you're unfamiliar with how to calculate your composite ACT score, here's a brief explanation. The ACT has four sections: English, Math, Reading, and Science. Each section is scored individually on a scale of 1-36. These section scores are then averaged to give you a composite ACT score, also on a scale of 1-36. What if you took the Writing section, too? Don't worry- your Writing score, which uses a different point range of 2-12, will not affect your composite ACT score or superscore. That said, you don't want to get a high ACT score and flunk your essay, so be sure you know how to write a good one! How Do You Calculate Your ACT Superscore? To create an ACT superscore, you'll pick out your best section scores for English, Math, Reading, and Science across all ACTs you took and then average them together. This will give you a new ACT composite score, or superscore. But what are the specific steps? First, make a table to use as your ACT superscore calculator. In this table, insert six columns. The number of rows you have will depend on the number of times you've taken the ACT. Your total number of rows should equal the number of tests taken + 2. Label the table as I've done below: Test # English Math Reading Science Composite Test 1 Test 2 Test 3 Superscore Next, fill in your respective test date section scores and composite scores: Test # English Math Reading Science Composite Test 1 31 29 33 21 29 Test 2 32 24 29 29 29 Test 3 27 26 35 24 28 Superscore The third step is to fill in the superscore number for each section by selecting the HIGHEST individual section score. Leave the "Superscore Composite" area blank for now. Test # English Math Reading Science Composite Test 1 31 29 33 21 29 Test 2 32 24 29 29 29 Test 3 27 26 35 24 28 Superscore 32 29 35 29 Finally, average the superscore section scores (i.e., the scores in the bottom row of your chart): (32+29+35+29) / 4 = 31 The number you get will be your final composite ACT superscore. Write this score down in the "Superscore Composite" blank in the bottom-right of your chart: Test # English Math Reading Science Composite Test 1 31 29 33 21 29 Test 2 32 24 29 29 29 Test 3 27 26 35 24 28 Superscore 32 29 35 29 31 Make sure to round your average to the nearest whole number. For example, if we got 30.5, our composite superscore would round up to 31. However, if we got 30.25, our superscore would round down to 30. As you can see in these charts, by creating an ACT superscore, our composite score increased by 2 points- that's a considerable jump on the ACT! Before you get too excited, though, make sure the colleges you plan to apply to superscore the ACT since not all colleges do. For example, MIT, NYU, and Cornell all superscore the ACT, whereas Harvard, Yale, and Georgetown do not. Not all schools superscore, but check for information about your target schools anyway. You never know what you'll find out unless you look! Many colleges like ACT superscoring because it increases the average ACT composite score of admitted students, which, in turn, helps schools improve their rankings. Superscoring is also helpful for you. If you do poorly on a section on one test date, it won’t affect you with colleges who use superscoring, as long as you get a higher score for that section on another test date. What Does Superscoring Mean for Your ACT Strategy? Now that you know the ins and outs of ACT superscoring, what does this mean for your approach to test prep? Here, I’ll give a brief summary of the three steps you'll need to take to be able to use superscoring to your advantage. For more info, check out our detailed guide on how ACT superscoring can affect your test prep. Remember: the following strategy only applies if all of the schools you’re applying to superscore the ACT. If some of the schools on your target list do not superscore, then you’ll need to aim for your composite target score on one test (meaning the steps below won't apply to you). Step 1: Plan Your ACT Schedule Early Planning ahead of time, preferably before the start of your junior year, can be a big help in figuring out how you can benefit from schools' superscoring policies. Since you’re able to superscore your ACT scores, it's best to sit for around three test dates. If you reach your target composite score the first time, then great- you’re done early! If you don’t reach your goal score the first time around, though, you'll still have plenty of time to sit for other test dates, and can eventually pick out your best section scores from each date to create a great superscore. Step 2: Focus Your Prep If you reached your target ACT scores on two sections but didn’t do very well on the other two, you can thereafter channel all of your energy into preparing for your two weaker sections. Doing this gives you a better shot at scoring highly, and means you won't have to worry about doing well on the two sections on which you already hit your goal scores. Of course, this doesn't mean you should put zero effort into studying for your stronger sections- just that you should put more effort into prepping for the sections you're weaker at. Step 3: Relax! Ultimately, superscoring should make your test prep more relaxed. Why? Even if you completely mess up on a section on one ACT test date, you could still get into your dream college if you get a better score on a different test date. So if you score poorly on a section, it's not the end of the world- all you need to do is retake the ACT and tailor your prep to that particular section! What’s Next? Got more questions about ACT scoring? Learn about what qualifies as a good ACT score for your college and how to calculate your target score. Already got an ACT score goal? Then take a look at our top 15 ACT tips and tricks as well as our 20-hour prep guide to help you get started. Finally, make sure you're studying the right way with our guide to reviewing your ACT/SAT mistakes. Want to improve your ACT score by 4+ points? Download our free guide to the top 5 strategies you need in your prep to improve your ACT score dramatically.

Critical analysis of a book, Nectar in a Sieve Essay

Critical analysis of a book, Nectar in a Sieve - Essay Example The hint of change provided in the lower status of Rukmani’s marriage is carried forward with the building of the tannery in her husband’s village. Conflicts of tradition and the outside world begin to insinuate themselves into Rukmani’s life, bringing change almost faster than she can adjust. Struggling through poverty and heartbreak, as well as the changing socioeconomic culture of their village, Rukmani demonstrates a quiet, pragmatic dignity that is concerned with life. By telling the story of a young Indian woman as she weds her husband and grows old with him, raises a family and suffers several hardships along the way, author Kamala Markandaya strives to present a picture of a changing world and how it is the love of a family that overcomes these tremendous challenges. Markandaya’s novel is a fictional account of an Indian woman’s experience in the rural villages of India presented in first-person narrative voice from Rukmani’s perspective. Because she never provides a village name or date, it is impossible to determine exactly when the story is taking place, giving it a timeless quality that speaks equally today as it did when it was written, shortly after India became independent of Britain. â€Å"Some readers of Nectar in a Sieve see Kamala Markandaya’s portrayal of Indian peasants as mythlike. One figure often mentioned as a model for Rukmani is the goddess Sita. Sita emerged from the earth into life when her stepfather was plowing his fields and became the wife of the Hindu god Rama. In the great epic poem Ramayana, Sita is a symbol of devotion, never-ending patience, and self-sacrifice. In art, she is often shown gazing at Rama with blissful happiness† (â€Å"Study Guide†, n.d.). Rukmani is indeed pr esented as the epitome of self-sacrifice and patience within the novel, consistently working to uphold the traditional beliefs of her

McKenzie Corporations Capital Budgeting Assignment

McKenzie Corporations Capital Budgeting - Assignment Example It is of immense importance that one gets the knowledge on the market as well as comprehends the nature of the economy. Based on the calculated values the stockholders are better off with an expansion in the company. This is because the value is higher by $9 million that implies that the firm's value, as well as the profits, would increase. Question 2 Debt of Company - $34 million Expected value of debt without the expansion = 0.30*34 + 0.50*34 + 0.20*34 = $34 million. The expansion is fully financed by equity this implies that the debt does not change. Therefore, the value of expected debt will remain the same with no changes. Question 3 Expected value of the company without expansion =E (value of company) =P (Low)*V (Low) +P (Normal)*V (Normal) + P (High)*V (High) =0.3*30 +0.5*35 + 0.2*51 = $36.7 million Expected value of the company with expansion =E (value of company) =P (Low)*V (Low) + P (Normal)*V (Normal) +P (High)*V (High) - Cost of financing = .30*33 + .50*46 + .20*64 -8.4 = $ 37.3 million The value of debt remains the same this implies that the additional value would be for the stockholders. The value expected for the stockholders = 0.6 million while the expected value for the bondholders =0. Change in the expected net Value due to the expansion =37.3 - 36.7= 0.6 million Question 4 An expansion of the company there will lead to a decrease in debt to equity ratio as well as long-term risk of the company. This is because the equity of the company will rise. The bond value, as well as the price of bonds for the company, will increase. This will also be accompanied by an increase in the profits to both stockholders as well as bondholders of the company (Ross, 390). Without an expansion, the value of bonds in the company will not change. The status of the bondholders remains unchanged, as well. The value of the debt remains as $34 million. Question 5 Without expansion, the equity of the company remains the same in the next year as in the current year. This is since additional capital will not be necessary if there is no expansion. Debt is, therefore, not of the essence in both the present and the future the company as it will not be able to borrow (Ross, 390). This will be in the case where the company continues to decrease their current debt. The company will not have greater equity in the next year once the debt covenants are over. This implies that the company will not access the financing it needs to expand. If the company expands, it will not be able to raise the debt. This is because they are prohibited from issuing any additional borrowing. They would then need to do the expansion by means of equity