Academic Performance of College Students Essay Example for Free

Academic Performance of College Students Essay The lack of adequate background and/or preparation, among other things, causes many students to withdraw from college or to graduate with low grades, which often makes it difficult for them to obtain suitable jobs. This paper examines the academic performance and efforts to seek assistance for academic and related problems of undergraduate students at North Carolina AT State University. To that effect, the grade reports of business and economics majors and responses to a survey of students enrolled in business and economics courses were qualitatively analyzed. See more: Foot Binding In China essay The results of the analyses indicated that many students experienced academic deficiency and did not seek assistance when faced with problems. The results also revealed that many of the students who sought assistance rated the services they received as ineffective and indicated their preference for school-level advisement services. The development of a school-specific academic monitoring and advisement center would alleviate these problems. Such a center, with a comprehensive and extended advisement and counseling program, will be more effective than university-wide services in improving student academic performance and marketability upon graduation. ********** Teaching, research and service are usually used as a yardstick to measure faculty contributions to higher education institutions. Major universities have long stressed the importance of research activities relative to teaching. Over the last two decades, many of smaller teaching institutions, including the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) where research activities were recognized only to the extent that they would keep educators and the knowledge they transmit to students current, have been under pressure to acquire external funds for scholarships, faculty development, and meeting accreditation standards (Fielding 1985). As these institutions, particularly the HBCUs, placed more emphasis on faculty research productivity, they are faced with the challenge of striking a balance between teaching and research activities. Nevertheless, most colleges and universities recognize that teaching is the ultimate goal of their institutions (Wiley 1993). The main factors considered for improving teaching effectiveness among other things, include teaching approaches and techniques and faculty availability for student assistance and advisement. However, students in higher education institutions must be motivated and committed to make reasonable efforts toward handling various activities, such as reading, written assignments, class discussion, presentation and examinations, effectively. Accordingly, the students commitment to attain a good education, their study habits and cooperation, their motivation and efforts to seek assistance, when needed, are equally critical for learning. Thus, since the provision and consumption of education service occur simultaneously, the students active participation in the process is a necessary condition to transform teaching to effective learning (Norales and Addus 2003). This paper assesses the academic performance and efforts of undergraduate students to seek assistance for academic and related problems at North Carolina AT State. The paper (1) examines the academic performance and deficiencies of the students in terms of their overall grade point averages; (2) identifies the relative magnitude of student academic and related problems from freshman to senior classifications; (3) presents student evaluation of the effectiveness of advisement and counseling services available to students; and (4) recommends the development of a school-specific academic monitoring and advisement center to improve student academic performance and marketability upon graduation. Methods and Instrumentation The 1998 grade point averages (GPAs) of undergraduate business and economics majors were used to determine the levels of student academic performance and deficiencies, with the application of chi-square statistic test to the relevant data. The student grade reports (the most recent data available) were obtained from the North Carolina AT State Universitys School of Business and Economics. In addition, data from students were collected through a student survey of 2002. The sample for the student advisement and counseling effectiveness questionnaire consisted of students enrolled in business and economics courses at North Carolina AT State University. The questionnaire items were designed to elicit responses from students to determine the magnitude of student academic and related problems, efforts to seek assistance to solve their problems, evaluation of effectiveness assistance they received, and preference for the location of advising and monitoring services within the University. The results of this study can be used as a source of data that can provide information on the curriculum effectiveness at North Carolina AT State and other universities. Such data can assist educators in curriculum planning and development so that they can better meet the needs of students. Student Academic Performance and Survey Results The results of this study are based on the examination of the School of Business and Economics student GPAs and the student advisement and counseling survey of students enrolled in business and economics courses at North Carolina AT State University. The results are centered around (1) the student academic performance levels and deficiencies; (2) the magnitude of student academic and related problems; (3) the students efforts to seek assistance to solve problems; (4) the student evaluation of effectiveness assistance received; and (5) the student preference for the location of advising and monitoring services. The following are the findings of the study based on student grade point averages and student advisement and counseling services questionnaire responses. Student Academic performance. The school of Business and Economics at North Carolina AT State University consists of accounting, business administration, business education and economics and transportation/logistics departments. The distributions of grade point average of students enrolled in the School during the 1998 fall semester are presented in Table 1. For the data in the Table, the chi-square test statistic is significant. This indicates that grade distributions by classification are statistically different. Generally, the number of students with low grade point averages decreased from freshman to senior classifications. In other words, more freshmen maintained lower grades relative to seniors, and more seniors maintained higher grade point averages than freshmen. More specifically, the data indicates that, in the School of Business and Economics, 55% of freshman, 14% of sophomore, 16% of junior, and 6% of senior students maintained below 2. 00 grade point averages. The decline in the proportion of students with lower grades from the freshman to senior levels is an indication of either grade improvements, transfer from one program to another or withdrawal and/or suspension/dismissal from the university. In their senior year, 41% of students maintained a GPA of below 2. 50, 23% below 2. 25, and 6% below 2. 00. For all classifications, 53% of students maintained a GPA of below 2. 50, 39% below 2. 25, and 26% below 2. 00. The School of Business and Economics cannot afford to ignore 23% students who may graduate with a GPA of lower than 2. 25 and 41% below 2. 50, only to find it difficult to find professional jobs of their choice in their respective fields. Apparently, students need to be monitored, encouraged and assisted to play an active role in their pursuit to achieve their education and career objectives. Student Survey Results Of some 206 students who responded to the survey, 52% were female and 48% were male students. By classification, 10% were freshmen, 30% sophomore, 37% junior and 23% senior students. In terms of general fields of study, 68% majored in business and economics and 32% in other areas, including arts and sciences, education and engineering (Table 2). These figures suggest that the survey represents a balanced coverage on gender, student classification, and various fields of study. Magnitude of Student Academic and Related Problems: Of 154 who sought assistance, 52% were female and 48% were male students. By classification, 9% were freshmen, 30% sophomore, 37% junior and 25% were senior students (Table 3). The data in the Table is indicative of the fact that the number of problems faced by students generally declined from freshman to senior year of their study. Of 52 students who did not seek assistance, 52% were female and 48% were male students. By classification, 17% were freshmen, 30% junior, 37% sophomore and 19% senior students. A total of 56% who did not seek help were junior and senior students. The reasons indicated for not seeking assistance are that 19% did not have any problems, 17% did not have time to seek assistance, 19% did not know the availability of assistance, 14% did not believe such assistance would be useful, and 15% indicated a combination of the above factors (Table 4). Student Efforts to Seek Assistance: Out of 206 students who sought assistance, 60% consulted with their academic advisors and 30% with course instructors or respective departments. Only 4% indicated to have sought assistance with the University Center for Success (Table 5). Student Evaluation of Assistance Effectiveness: Of 154 students who sought help, 72% indicated that the assistance they were offered was effective resulting in grade improvements, enhanced self-confidence, remaining in major for the better, and changing major for the better. However, 28% indicated that the assistance they received was not effective at all (Table 6). Student Preference for Advising and Monitoring Services: Of 206 survey respondents, 147 (71%) indicated their preference for student monitoring and counseling services at school/college level (as opposed to counseling at the university level); and 92% indicated that they would seek assistance more often if such services were available at school/college level (Table 7). The Case for Academic Monitoring and Advising Center The findings of this study reveal that relatively low grades and high failure rates were maintained by upper level undergraduate students with the possibility of marketability problems. The findings further show that 28% of survey respondents said the assistance services they received were not effective. Another 28% of the respondents, of which 56% were juniors and seniors, did not seek help to resolve their academic and related problems. In addition, 71% of respondents indicated their preference for a school-level assistance services, and the overwhelming majority (92%) said they would seek help more often if such services were available at the school level. It follows that a school-specific academic monitoring and advisement center (AMAC), with a comprehensive agenda for student advisement and counseling, will be effective in improving student academic performance and marketability. The need for the AMAC is underscored by other studies. The main problems affecting student academic performance include inadequate background, working long hours, lack of time to study and seek advice, lack of time management skills, bad study habits and skills, and lack of self-confidence. Many students are also faced with various impediments in their pursuit of higher education and career objectives, including financial problems, family responsibilities, and social and extracurricular activities. Some of these activities do not only take away from the time needed for sleeping, attending class and studying, but they also cause considerable stress resulting in negative effects on academic performance as measured in terms of GPA (Womble 2001). The results of a survey of 239 university students enrolled in business and economics courses at North Carolina AT State University indicated that most students did not have sufficient time to read the textbook and study, and that their absence from class was work related. The majority (56 %) of the students stated that they could not take lecture notes while listening, and 29 % said they could not understand the lecture (Norales and Addus 2003). Kelly et al (2001) classified college students into short sleepers (individuals who slept six or fewer hours a day), average sleepers (individuals with seven or hours of sleep a day), and long sleepers (individuals sleeping nine or more hours a day). They found that the individuals who represented long sleepers reported higher GPAs than the first two groups. Many students are admitted to a university as a result of their performance in examinations that do not demand the same preparation levels required to succeed in higher education. Thus, one of the main factors affecting the academic performance of college and university students is the lack of adequate preparation skills (Beswick and Ramsden 1987). Entwistle et al (1989) studied the academic performance of electrical engineering students and found that low course grades were associated with inadequate study skills, and that many students had not established adequate independent study strategies required to succeed in higher education. Eikeland Manger (1992) looked into factors affecting student achievement, especially those factors related to high failure and dropout rates. The findings showed that organized study habits had a positive impact on self confidence during the students first semester, but such study habits did not have a direct effect on grades until as late as their fourth semester in college. In a survey of close to 350,000 students attending four-year public and private colleges, over 70 items related to the students educational experiences on the survey instrument were grouped into 12 factors. (1) The survey results indicated that out of these factors, public college/university students rated academic advising as the most important aspect of their educational experiences. Private college/university students rated academic advising second to only instructional effectiveness in importance. When students were asked to rate five items (2) comprised academic advising, both public and private college/university students rated the academic advisors approachability and the academic advisors knowledge about major requirements as strengthsmeaning most important and most satisfying (Noel-Levitz 2003). In general, the success or failure in higher education are not explained by the student attributes or faculty teaching efficiency in isolation, but by the complex interactions between students and the learning environments they experience (Entwistle 1990). Thus, students are in need of comprehensive advisement, counseling and support services including time management, stress management, efficient study style, habits and skills, reading, writing, and lecture note taking skills, and other support services. These must help students enhance their capacity to master the relevant subject, self confidence, verbal and written communication, academic performance, and to be competitive and productive members of the community. Academic Monitoring and Advising Center The findings of this study, along with the discussion of relevant literature, suggest that a school-specific AMAC, with a comprehensive agenda for student advisement and counseling, will be effective in improving student academic performance and marketability. The primary purpose of the AMAC is to enhance student academic performance and produce marketable graduates by providing extended assistance and guidance to students in academic activities and related areas. At North Carolina AT State University there are university-wide student support services, including the Center for Student Success (which is focused on student retention) and school-level academic assistant services. In addition, there are programs which are designed to mentor students with high academic standing, in collaboration with potential employers, to prepare them for the real world work environment upon graduation. However, many students who for various reasons fail to perform to their potential levels deserve to be uplifted through a similar program provided by the AMAC. Compared with university-wide academic counseling services available for students, the AMAC will be more effective for needy students can be given individual and unique attention suited to their specific needs by their respective schools. In addition to regular advisement provided by academic advisors, the AMAC will provide counseling services for students who fail to reach a minimum GPA of 2. 50 during each semester. To start with, such students will be able to discuss issues regarding specific courses and their course loads with an advisor from the AMAC, and receive advice on how to successfully manage their time and handle their course loads. Also, the AMAC if necessary, can suggest changes in course, course loads and schedule to help the students balance their time between school and work. As mentioned above, one of the biggest problems that many students have is lack of time and time management skills. If this problem is solved early, students will be able to maintain a more marketable GPA. The AMAC will continuously monitor students and evaluate their grades throughout each semester to insure that these students continue to do well in the school, and graduate within a reasonable period of time. Students who need assistance must be identified at the appropriate time and be given intensive advice and counseling. It will maintain a data base for all students in the School of Business and Economics with an overall GPA of 2. 50 or less. The data can be collected from student applications, academic records, and surveys (Seidman, 1996). The AMAC will coordinate its activities with university programs designed to provide remedial services to students with deficient backgrounds. It will refer students to other departments and and University support services for problems outside its responsibilities. Such intensive intervention will likely help not only improve academic performance, but also retain students and enable them to graduate with decent grades. Student participation in the AMACs program shall enhance their capabilities to improve their academic standing through sound advice and counseling which will positively influence their attitude toward learning and grades, time management skills and study habits. The AMAC will further facilitate development of university policies and programs designed to overcome academic deficiencies and encourage students to stay in school and achieve their academic and career objectives. Conclusions Academic advising is a very important aspect of students educational experiences in higher education. In order to enhance teaching and learning effectiveness, higher education institutions must listen to their students unique needs and priorities by assessing assistance services available to students. The results of such assessments can be used to develop targeted action plans for serving specific student population. The results of the analyses of data obtained from the School of Business and Economics grade reports and a survey of students enrolled in business and economics courses at North Carolina AT State University, along with other relevant literature, imply that many college students need a school-specific academic monitoring and advisement services at an early stage of their college career. It is apparent that it becomes difficult, if not impossible, for junior and senior students to make meaningful grade improvements due to the short span of time available to them during their last years of study before graduation. This may pose a serious marketability problem for some of the graduates of these programs with low grades. In the real world of ever increasing globalization and more competitive job market environments, college students need to acquire higher skills and GPAs. The proposed AMAC is certainly a first step to guide needy students in this direction. References Beswick, D. and Ramsden, P, (1987). How to Promote Learning with Understanding. Working Paper 87:1. Melbourne: Center for the Study of Higher Education, University of Melbourne. Eikeland, O. J. and Manger, T. (1992). Why Students Fail During Their First University Semesters. International Review of Education 38(5), 489-503. Entwistle, N. J. (1990). How Students Learn and Why They Fail. Paper Presented at Conference on Talent and Teaching, University of Bergen. Entwistle, N. J. , Hoursell, D. , Macaulay, C. , Situnayake, G. and Tait, H. (1989). Success and Failure in Electrical Engineering Courses in Scotland. Summary of a Report to the SED. Edinburgh: Department of Education and Center for Teaching, Learning and Assessment. University of Edinburgh. Fielding, G. J. (1985). Transportation Education, Part Two. Report of Joint Conference, Eno Foundation Board of Directors and Board of Consultants. Transportation Quarterly, 39(2), 207-233. Kelly, W. E. , Kelly, K. E. and Clanton, R. C. (others) (2001). The Relationship between Sleep length and Grade-Point-Average among College Students, College Student Journal. Noel-Levitz Research (2003). Academic Advising Highly Important to Students, www. noellevitz. com. Norales, Francisca O. and Addus, Abdussalam A. (2003). University Students Learning Efforts, Texas Business and Technology Educators Association Journal, Vol. VII, No. 1. Seidman, A. (1996). Retention revisited: R = E, ID + E In, Iv. Journal of College Student Retention. 71(4), 18-20. Wiley, III, Ed (1993). Re-Emphasizing Teaching. Black Issues in Higher Education. Womble, Laura P (2001). The Impact of Stress Factors on College Students Academic Performance, Working Paper, University of North Carolina, Charlotte, N. C. ABDUSSALAM A. ADDUS Associate Professor DAVID CHEN Associate Professor ANWAR S. KHAN Professor Emeritus Department of Economics and Transportation/Logistics North Carolina AT State University Notes. (1) the factors are: academic advising, campus climate, campus Life, campus Support Services, concern for the Individual, instructional Effectiveness, recruitment and financial aid effectiveness, registration effectiveness, responsiveness to diverse population, safety and security, service excellence, and student centeredness. (2) the items are: the academic advisors approachability, the academic advisors knowledge about major requirements, the academic advisors concern about the students success as an individual, the academic advisors assistance to set goals and work toward, and the clearness and reasonableness of major requirements. Table 1 Grade Distribution of Students in the School of Business and Economics by Classification, Fall 1998 Grade Range Classification Freshman Sophomore Junior No. % No. % No. % 3. 50-4. 00 20 6 46 19 20 10 3. 00-3. 49 26 7 44 18 32 16 2. 50-2. 99 45 13 62 25 45 23 2. 25-2. 49 33 9 33 13 33 17 2. 00-2. 24 37 10 28 11 34 18 Below 2. 00 200 55 35 14 31 16 Total 361 100 248 100 195 100 Chi-square: 278. 38 * Grade Range Classification Senior All No. % No. % 3. 50-4. 00 18 7 104 10 3. 00-3. 49 42 17 144 13 2. 50-2. 99 90 35 242 24 2. 25-2. 49 47 18 146 14 2. 00-2. 24 44 17 143 13 Below 2. 00 14 6 280 26 Total 255 100 1059 100 Chi-square: 278. 38 * Note: * Statistically significant at 5 percent probability level. Source: School of Business and Economics, NC AT State University. Table 2 Profile of Survey Respondents Item Frequency Percent Gender (n = 206): Male 99 48. 1 Female 107 51. 9 Classification (n = 206): Freshman 21 10. 2 Sophomore 61 29. 6 Junior 77 37. 4 Senior 47 22. 8 Major Area Unit (n = 206): Business and Economics 140 68. 0 Other Areas * 66 32. 0 * Include Arts and Science, Education, and Engineering. Table 3 Distribution of Number Problems for Students who Sought. Assistance * (n = 154) Classification Number of Problems and Gender One Two Three Four Five Six Total Plus Classification: Freshman 4 1 3 2 1 2 13 Sophomore 16 4 7 9 8 2 46 Junior 14 14 12 6 4 7 57 Senior 6 7 14 7 3 1 38 Total 40 26 36 24 16 12 154 Gender: Male 19 15 15 11 8 6 74 Female 21 13 19 13 8 6 80 Total 40 26 36 24 16 12 154 * Problems include adding/dropping courses, choosing major, changing major, improving grades, time management, internship opportunities, personal problems which affect academic performance. Table 4 Distribution of students who did not Seek Assistance (n = 52)  frequency Percent of Total Classification: Freshman 9 17. 3 Sophomore 14 29. 9 Junior 19 36. 5 Senior 10 19. 3 Total 52 100. 0 Gender: Male 25 48. 1 Female 27 51. 9 Total 52 100. 0 Reason for not Seeking: Did not have problems 10 19. 2 Did not have time 9 17. 3 Did not know availability of assistance 10 19. 2 Did not believe it is useful 7 13. 5 Combination of last three 8 15. 4 Other reasons 8 15. 4 Total 52 100. 0 Table 5 Student Efforts to Seek Assistance for Academic Problems (n = 154) Assistance sought from Frequency Percent Academic Advisor 89 59. 7 Department/Course instructor 44 29. 5. University Center for Success 6 4. 0 SOBE resource Lab 3 2. 0 University Counseling Service 3 2. 0 Career Counseling 2 1. 4 Financial Aid 2 1. 4 Table 6 Student evaluation of Effectiveness of Assistance Sought (n = 149) Item frequency Percent Grade improved 13 8. 7 Enhanced self-confidence 4 2. 7 Remained in major 15 10. 1 Changed major for better 16 10. 7 Two or more of above 60 40. 3 No effect 41 27. 5 Table 7 Student Preference for Counseling/Monitoring Services Location (n = 206) Item Frequency Percent Prefer student Counseling at school level Yes 147 71. 3 No 44 21. 4 Indifferent 15 7. 3. Would seek assistance more often if Available at school/college level) Yes 92 44. 7 No 15 7. 3 Not sure 45 21. 8 Indifferent 54 26. 2 Gale Copyright: Copyright 2007 Gale, Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Economic Scene Colleges Are Failing in Graduation Rates Top of Form Bottom of Form †¢ Share By DAVID LEONHARDT Published: September 8, 2009 If you were going to come up with a list of organizations whose failures had done the most damage to the American economy in recent years, you’d probably have to start with the Wall Street firms and regulatory agencies that brought us the financial crisis. From there, you might move on to Wall Street’s fellow bailout recipients in Detroit, the once-Big Three. Multimedia [pic] From the Most Selective Colleges, More Graduates Related The College Dropout Boom Economix: Which Colleges Are Doing Their Job? Reader Responses: Failing Colleges Readers’ Comments Share your thoughts and read responses to readers comments from David Leonhardt on the Economix blog. †¢ Read All Comments (113)  » But I would suggest that the list should also include a less obvious nominee: public universities. At its top levels, the American system of higher education may be the best in the world. Yet in terms of its core mission — turning teenagers into educated college graduates — much of the system is simply failing. Only 33 percent of the freshmen who enter the University of Massachusetts, Boston, graduate within six years. Less than 41 percent graduate from the University of Montana, and 44 percent from the University of New Mexico. The economist Mark Schneider refers to colleges with such dropout rates as â€Å"failure factories,† and they are the norm. The United States does a good job enrolling teenagers in college, but only half of students who enroll end up with a bachelor’s degree. Among rich countries, only Italy is worse. That’s a big reason inequality has soared, and productivity growth has slowed. Economic growth in this decade was on pace to be slower than in any decade since World War II — even before the financial crisis started. So identifying the causes of the college dropout crisis matters enormously, and a new book tries to do precisely that. It is called â€Å"Crossing the Finish Line,† and its findings are based on the records of about 200,000 students at 68 colleges. The authors were able to get their hands on that data because two of them are pillars of the education establishment: William Bowen (an economist and former Princeton president) and Michael McPherson (an economist and former Macalester College president). For all the book’s alarming statistics, its message is ultimately uplifting — or at least invigorating. Yes, inadequate precollege education is a problem. But high schools still produce many students who have the skills to complete college and yet fail to do so. Turning them into college graduates should be a lot less difficult than fixing all of American education. â€Å"We could be doing a lot better with college completion just by working on our colleges,† as Robert Shireman, an Education Department official who has read an early version of the book, says. Congress and the Obama administration are now putting together an education bill that tries to deal with the problem. It would cancel about $9 billion in annual government subsidies for banks that lend to college students and use much of the money to increase financial aid. A small portion of the money would be set aside for promising pilot programs aimed at lifting the number of college graduates. All in all, the bill would help. But it won’t solve the system’s biggest problems — the focus on enrollment rather than completion, the fact that colleges are not held to account for their failures. â€Å"Crossing the Finish Line† makes it clear that we can do better. †¢ The first problem that Mr. Bowen, Mr. McPherson and the book’s third author, Matthew Chingos, a doctoral candidate, diagnose is something they call under-matching. It refers to students who choose not to attend the best college they can get into. They instead go to a less selective one, perhaps one that’s closer to home or, given the torturous financial aid process, less expensive. About half of low-income students with a high school grade-point average of at least 3. 5 and an SAT score of at least 1,200 do not attend the best college they could have. Many don’t even apply. Some apply but don’t enroll. â€Å"I was really astonished by the degree to which presumptively well-qualified students from poor families under-matched,† Mr. Bowen told me. They could have been admitted to Michigan’s Ann Arbor campus (graduation rate: 88 percent, according to College Results Online) or Michigan State (74 percent), but they went, say, to Eastern Michigan (39 percent) or Western Michigan (54 percent). If they graduate, it would be hard to get upset about their choice. But large numbers do not. You can see that in the chart with this column. In effect, well-off students — many of whom will graduate no matter where they go — attend the colleges that do the best job of producing graduates. These are the places where many students live on campus (which raises graduation rates) and graduation is the norm. Meanwhile, lower-income students — even when they are better qualified — often go to colleges that excel in producing dropouts. â€Å"It’s really a waste,† Mr. Bowen says, â€Å"and a big problem for the country. † As the authors point out, the only way to lift the college graduation rate significantly is to lift it among poor and working-class students. Instead, it appears to have fallen somewhat since the 1970s. What can be done? Money is clearly part of the answer. Tellingly, net tuition has no impact on the graduation rates of high-income students. Yet it does affect low-income students. All else equal, they are less likely to make it through a more expensive state college than a less expensive one, the book shows. Conservatives are wrong to suggest affordability doesn’t matter. But they are right that more money isn’t the whole answer. Higher education today also suffers from a deep cultural problem. Failure has become acceptable. Students see no need to graduate in four years. Doing so, as one told the book’s authors, is â€Å"like leaving the party at 10:30 p. m. † Graduation delayed often becomes graduation denied. Administrators then make excuses for their graduation rates. And policy makers hand out money based on how many students a college enrolls rather than on what it does with those students. There is a real parallel here to health care.

Child Development Observation Essay Example for Free

Child Development Observation Essay The setting of where I observed the baby was at my house in the family room. The family room can be pictured as a square. The door to enter the house is in one corner of the family room. To the left of the door there is a mirror on the wall and next to the mirror there is a single person couch. The color of the couch is brown. That sits in the corner adjacent to the corner where the door is. Then, there are the sliding doors to enter the patio and in the corner adjacent to the couch there is a big, black television. Next to the television, my baby’s pink Winnie the Pooh play yard. Next to that is her small pink and brown, vibrating bouncer. Then there’s the last corner of the room which opens to the bedrooms. This is the room where the observation took place. The baby I observed is my nephew, Gabriel. He is four months and three weeks old. He will turn five months on the 22nd of this month. He was wearing a blue jean overall with a brown onesie that has little puppies. He also had some soft tennis shoes on. They are white with a navy blue stripe on each side each shoe. He barely has any hair and he has no teeth. In twenty minutes, Gabriel was very active. I started observing as soon as he woke up from a nap. He began by stretching both of his legs straight out and his left arm stretched straight up towards his head and his right arm stretched up towards the sky. My boyfriend then picked him up and started talking to him. Gabriel started laughing and kicking his feet back and forth, starting with his right foot and continued by alternating each kick with the opposite foot. He stopped laughing and shoved both of his hands in his mouth. He made himself gag. He was then tickled again and started laughing. Again he began kicking his legs, left then right. He grabbed his face with his left hand. He started to get hungry. While his bottle was being prepared, he began sucking on his left hand and he began to make sucking noises. As my boyfriend got the bottle close to Gabriel’s face, his eyes popped open and he opened his mouth. While he ate, he moved his right hand over his face and made sucking and snorting noises. He was also just looking around while eating. He was about a quarter done with his bottle, when he stopped eating and started pushing. Both of his hands clasped together and he made a noise which let us know that he was pushing. All of a sudden, I heard him pass gas but it wasn’t just gas. The gas came with a little surprise. He kept his fists closed and kept pushing. He was pooping. Once he was done, he gave a big smile and started kicking his legs again. He also began sucking on his hands. My boyfriend laid him on the floor on top of his blue, fuzzy blanket. Gabriel began making cooing noises. As my boyfriend began taking off Gabriel’s clothes, he continued kicking and making cooing noises. As his diaper was coming undone, Gabriel started laughing. My boyfriend got a hold of his legs and took off his diaper. Gabriel just began sucking on his hands again. Gabriel’s mom saw him and took his hands out of his mouth. She gave him a pacifier. He began rubbing his eyes with both hands. He then began to cry. My boyfriend put his clothes back on and continued feeding him. Gabriel was lying with his feet dangling off of my boyfriend’s leg. His right arm was around my boyfriend’s back and his left arm was on his stomach. He was making a sucking sound and was opening and closing his eyes. Gabriel jumped when he heard a loud noise. He opened his eyes and his left arm went straight up into the air. He was calmed down and closed his eyes again. His left arm dangled to his side. He stayed like that until he finished eating. He was stood up straight and burped. He fell asleep and he was laid in my daughter’s play yard with his arms to the side and his legs spread apart.

Significance Of The Cultural Homogeneity

Significance Of The Cultural Homogeneity How significant is any process of cultural homogenization to the development of the global hospitality industry is going to be the topic under analyses on this assignment. We will give definitions of culture, homogenization and globalization and what these terms mean. Will follow to analyze to what extent, are people from around the world becoming more similar in their patterns of consumption of products and services from the hospitality/tourism industry. And if so what does this mean to the development of the global hospitality/tourism industry and evidence of the fact that people are becoming the same and how has the industry respond to such demand. Finally we will be showing what the overall evaluation is regarding the topic and a conclusion summarizing all the findings. Customer commodities are turning homogenous all over the world with this fact comes the definition of homogenization. People use the same type of things: from planes and cars, holidays destinations and way of dressing and living. With this goes a strong consumerist way of living and structure of principles that focus on the material world and on substantial comfort. Marx (1977) in his dependency theory saw that the political-territorial boundaries remain intact and will disappear under a future proletarian supremacy. Wallerstein (1974) focus is studies on the economic view of the definition of globalization as an increasing level of interdependence between national systems by way of trade, military Robertson Roland explains globalization in the cultural domain. In is text, Globalization as a Problem in The Globalization Reader says, globalization as a concept refers both to the compression of the world and the intensification of consciousness of the world as a whole Cited in Frank Lechner and John Boli (2004) According to Giddens globalization is seen as the intensification of worldwide social relations which link distant localities in such a way that local happenings are shaped by events occurring many miles away and vice versa Giddens (1990). These local happenings were said to be influenced by distant events and not just the local events, whi ch all have been influenced by the forces of globalization. Looking at Giddens (1990) and Robertsons (1992) definitions, Giddens believes modernity has come as a result of globalization. For Giddens globalization is said to have started during the sixteenth century onwards and in Europe in particular. However, in Robertsonà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¸s opinion, the problem of globalization is not new. He believes the social compression of the world has begun before the sixteenth century as predicted by Giddens. He predicts modernity and the rise of capitalism to be the cause of the rise of globalization. That is for Robertson, modernization has an influence on globalization. Culture with its very broad nature have always been without a precise definition, referred by Geertz (1973) culture is said not to exist in some ones head. That is, when we are born as we grow, through learning from either our parents or schools or the environment we grow, we know culture. Giddens referred culture to be the way of life of the members of the society or of groups within a society Giddens (2002). He believes that culture is inherited and it comprises both intangible aspects of life like the beliefs, ideas and values, which form the content of culture. In addition, the tangible aspects like the objects, symbols or technology, which represents that content. An example of this is the present day American cultures of Americanization and McDonaldization, described by Ritzer as the fast food restaurants Ritzer, (2003). Geert Hofstede views culture as a communal psychological programming of people. The software of the mentality, or how we think, make us different from additional groups. It refers to a shared fact of mutual principles and meanings and we get it from the social environment. We are not born with a public set of morals and attitudes; we discover and gain them as we develop. E. T. Halls wrote about High- and Low-Context Cultures theories with Low-context cultures we count on complicated verbal explanations, transferring more importance to verbal words, communication is straight and open, meaning is uncomplicated with the High-context cultures we highlight nonverbal communication and use communication as a way to support soft, pleasant associations for example in East Asia and Japan; nonverbal signs and body language are often used as they prefer an indirect, polite, face-saving style that shows a shared sagacity, concern and respect for others. Globalization in the tourism context can be thought in several ways which include the following: Americanization through McDonalds , KFC and Starbucks ,McDonalds fast food outlets can now even be found everywhere in the world. Experiencing the diversity of building styles, dishes and cultures was once a main reason to visit cities. Today as one travels around the world one finds that many airports, hotels and cities are more or less the same this takes the fun out of traveling because you know already how your room is going to be like in certain hotel chain. Globalization is felt particularly in less developed countries, many of which see tourism as an important development option. Unfortunately developing tourism can require that poor countries have to take out billion dollar loans to build the necessary infrastructure for tourism development and this can be a problem because they may not be able to pay their debts. International tourists demand international style hotels, food and drinks and hence developing countries have to import this items, this is called leakage because the money leaks out of the local economy and it cant be used to benefit local people. Cross-cultural exchange promotes innovation and creativity. The belief that increased globalization entails cultural homogenization, most commonly in the guise of Americanization, is a popular one. It is a belief enacted by tourists who travel to far-off lands only to stay in Sheraton hotels, eat at the local McDonalds, and watch big Hollywood pictures in the evenings. The gist of such tourist reports, anthropological findings, and American advertisements has been theorized in models of cultural imperialism (Mattelart 1979; Schiller 1976) that contend that Western, and largely American, culture is exported around the world to the effect of global homogenization. As Featherstone (1995) describes the process, capital clears the way for culture. Along these lines, corporate logos become icons of American ideologies for everyone outside of the center. But are these examples a clear process of cultural homogenization? Benjamin Barber (1995) would respond positively with is process of MacW orld is one of soft hegemony, an easy way to export American capitalist ideologies to the world, thereby making the world safe for the free market. Stuart Hall (1991) responds affirmatively to the question of globalization as cultural homogenization, his thoughts on the subject are much more nuanced. Hall defines a new form of globalization in contrast to the earlier globalization of colonization, particularly that of the British empire, and this new globalization is distinctly American with its emphasis on television and film, and by the image, imagery, and styles of mass advertising (1991). In this regard, Halls conception of the globalization process is similar to Barbers. However, where Barber understands MacWorld as a totalizing force intent on Americanizing everyone and everything in its path, Hall sees a very peculiar form of homogenization, a homogenization which does not strive for completeness but rather thrives on particularities. For Hall this new form of globalization h as made it chic to eat fifteen different cuisines in any one week (1991). Hall contends that by presenting a world of neutralized difference, a world of commodified and consumable difference, capitalism is able to maintain its global dominance. As he remarks, It is working to make up a nation in which things are diverse. And that is the enjoyment of it but the differences do not matter. (Featherstone 1990) questions the basic premise of Americanization upon which both Barber and Hall build their theories of global cultural homogenization. To begin with, such theories depend upon a notion of cultures behaving as substances which flow intact and easily dissolve the differences they encounter (1995). Yet beyond this distinction, Featherstone contends that the world can no longer be perceived as extending out from one central point such as the United States but rather from many global centers. Like Hall, he highlights the contestatory, confrontational nature of globalization; however, f or Featherstone, the contestation is external rather than internal, a global field in which differences, power struggles and cultural prestige contests are played out. As such, globalization emphasizes cultural heterogeneity and difference of a massive scale: Globalization makes us aware of the sheer volume, diversity and many-sidedness of culture. Featherstone also dismisses the cultural homogenization thesis as premised on ethnocentric ideas about local cultures. When people move around, they carry with them the things that travel bestcultural traditions with sensory power like music, folktales, food ways, and festival. At the same time, it is the sensory power of these traditions which brings them to market, which incorporates them into multicultural policy work, which allows them to serve as somewhat superficial points of cultural exchange. In some senses, the local is globally homogenized in the same way that American (or western) culture is said to homogenize all other culture s: not only does one find McDonalds, Coca-Cola, and Nike around the world; one also finds Chinese food, African music, and May Day celebrations. As the world grows more interconnected and emergent technologies allow more of us to experience more of this global interconnectedness, the global cultural homogenization thesis may seem like an attractive one. Globalization has both constructive and pessimistic impacts on the hospitality business the positive impacts of globalization are: the contact with different cultures makes the ones taking care of the hospitality business to be gifted to discover about diverse cultures as they obtain the option of mixing with people from various countries; becomes a bigger market and the customer base has increased greatly. Community now move not only for holidays, but commerce, physical condition and different other reasons; increases the economy of the area in question, visitors come in and spend money; improves technology advancement since they want to catch the attention of as many tourists as they can, organizations continuously need to improve and develop their goods and services using quicker and new techniques in hotels to so that the consumer is pleased; promotes creativity as organizations are all the time creating innovative ideas to attract tourists; important more job opportunities are c reated as more visitors come into the country and therefore more natives are needed to serve tourist needs; increases the travel industry, people move around and to make possible this the business needs to develop as well, per last a wide variety of international cuisines is created since there are a lot of diverse guests with different origins, customs, food habits, and languages, the hospitality/tourism industry incorporates recipes and diverse supplementary services and makes them accessible to the locals too. The pessimistic impacts of globalization on the hospitality industry are in this situation more dramatic issues: language barriers, the industry can employ people from diverse countries, they might have problems in communicating with the customers; cultural barriers, as there are people from different cultures whats adequate by one culture may be a insult by another; employment during busy times of the year, a good amount of jobs are available but almost immediately as the clients leave, the jobs vanish jointly with the income; use of tools to communicate due to intercontinental separations, there has been a firm raise in the use of equipment for contact and this removes the human touch; developing countries are not capable to keep up with the expansion in technology and have a propensity to lose out, they always need to work to get better conditions; or else tourists have other areas to choose from; increase in crime with the increase in tourists, crimes raise also; ecological exhau stion: globalization causes an disproportion in the eco system, people regularly throw their rubbish on the floor which could cause sicknesses and loss of cultural and national values to go with along with customer needs. Following critically examining the entire evidences provided can conclude that may be complicated to define even though the fact that studies have stated globalization as a back and forward process of development as business expansion will continue with the search of new markets and cultures will be affluently influence by western part of global economy. Societies will inevitably borrow heavily from these cultures however it doesnt mean that they will be completely transformed. Cultural diversity will have to be protected and defended. In the modern worldwide cultural pluralism may still be less and less physical, even if certain geographical roots of most important cultures will stay. We exist in a multicultural humanity in which citizens live a practice of various experiences, characterized by a diversity of associative groups. Consequently cultures possibly will no longer be local in the conventional sense, but still diverse linked together in a complex network.

J.S. MIlls Essay -- essays research papers

Individual Civilization   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the final two chapters of the essay â€Å"On Liberty†, J.S. Mill discusses a few different subjects concerning individual civilization. The one example I believe is important begins on page 92. Here he discusses how he feels about society trying to help or change a way that someone has decided to live their life. The decisions they make and the actions that they do are completely up to the individual themselves. I will try to further examine the role society plays in a person’s civilization and what arguments Mill made to explain the situation.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the first three chapters, Mill discussed when and why someone’s personal Liberties should, if at all, be taken away. He felt that only if someone was about to harm themselves or others, their liberty should be interrupted or abolished. The situation discussed in chapter four that I was mostly concerned with was when he began to talk about a person’s living conditions being influenced by an outside person, government, or distant society. He was not aware that any that any community has the right to force a person to become civilized (92). He felt that it is not right for someone who lives miles away or who are completely blind of the situation to be able to step in and direct a problem into the direction they feel is right. The society does not have the right to persuade a person to live a certain way or conduct their lives as others do. Other commun...

Schone Madonna :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Schone Madonna is a German term meaning â€Å"Beautiful Madonna†. This image possibly originated as a response to new ways to practice religion, and in particular, worship of the Virgin in a more personal manner. Three examples of this representation include the Roudnice Madonna, the Madonna of Krumau, and the Jihlava Pieta.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Roudnice Madonna, a 35 1/2† x 26 1/4† panel constructed in approximately 1400, effectively shows the focus on amore soft and attractive Mary than seen in previous depictions. Using chiaroscuro, the artist modeled a beautiful face for the Virgin. The Christ child is more at ease than ever, relaxing comfortably with his mother. The drapery of the Virgin’s gown, similarly seen on the statues of this type, are full and rhythmic, extending to the wrist. This image of Mary is considered to be the finest image developed by the Bohemian sculptors, likely created for South Bohemian courts.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This new Madonna developed roots from the intense level of worship for the Virgin Mary at this time in history in Europe. There was a new desire to show this idol as a beautiful princess, not as a humble servant or out-of-reach queen. The Schone Madonna became the Bohemian feminine ideal.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The three basic prototypes for the â€Å"Beautiful Madonna†, Krumau, Thorn, and Breslau, are all very similar, with graceful postures, made of the same material, approximately the same height, and around the same time period. Of these, the Madonna of Krumau is considered the best and most famous. A stone sculpture, 4’3†, dating to approximately 1390-1400, it was created by a Bohemian artist who focused on Schone Madonna figures. This piece â€Å"embodies the beau ideal as the chaste princess of the Late Gothic age.† (p.31 textbook) Mary has a poised head on a long neck emerging from narrow shoulders, with a charming face and high forehead. Her long fingers gently, but firmly grasp her young son, while he makes eye contact with the viewer. The Madonna’s drapery is poetic in abstraction, a Schone Madonna style characteristic. The gentle â€Å"S† curve of her body allows for elegant cascades of draped cloth. (p. 31 textbook)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Jihlava Pieta was sculpted of stone by a Bohemian artist around 1400-1410. This composition is formed by a seated Madonna, and the diagonal is marked by a rigid Christ. (p. 32 textbook) Mary almost looks happy to see her once suffering son dead, and this is somewhat disturbing. Schone Madonna :: essays research papers   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Schone Madonna is a German term meaning â€Å"Beautiful Madonna†. This image possibly originated as a response to new ways to practice religion, and in particular, worship of the Virgin in a more personal manner. Three examples of this representation include the Roudnice Madonna, the Madonna of Krumau, and the Jihlava Pieta.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Roudnice Madonna, a 35 1/2† x 26 1/4† panel constructed in approximately 1400, effectively shows the focus on amore soft and attractive Mary than seen in previous depictions. Using chiaroscuro, the artist modeled a beautiful face for the Virgin. The Christ child is more at ease than ever, relaxing comfortably with his mother. The drapery of the Virgin’s gown, similarly seen on the statues of this type, are full and rhythmic, extending to the wrist. This image of Mary is considered to be the finest image developed by the Bohemian sculptors, likely created for South Bohemian courts.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This new Madonna developed roots from the intense level of worship for the Virgin Mary at this time in history in Europe. There was a new desire to show this idol as a beautiful princess, not as a humble servant or out-of-reach queen. The Schone Madonna became the Bohemian feminine ideal.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The three basic prototypes for the â€Å"Beautiful Madonna†, Krumau, Thorn, and Breslau, are all very similar, with graceful postures, made of the same material, approximately the same height, and around the same time period. Of these, the Madonna of Krumau is considered the best and most famous. A stone sculpture, 4’3†, dating to approximately 1390-1400, it was created by a Bohemian artist who focused on Schone Madonna figures. This piece â€Å"embodies the beau ideal as the chaste princess of the Late Gothic age.† (p.31 textbook) Mary has a poised head on a long neck emerging from narrow shoulders, with a charming face and high forehead. Her long fingers gently, but firmly grasp her young son, while he makes eye contact with the viewer. The Madonna’s drapery is poetic in abstraction, a Schone Madonna style characteristic. The gentle â€Å"S† curve of her body allows for elegant cascades of draped cloth. (p. 31 textbook)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Jihlava Pieta was sculpted of stone by a Bohemian artist around 1400-1410. This composition is formed by a seated Madonna, and the diagonal is marked by a rigid Christ. (p. 32 textbook) Mary almost looks happy to see her once suffering son dead, and this is somewhat disturbing.

Oscar Wilde Essay -- GCSE English Literature Coursework

Oscar Wilde Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth. On October 16, 1854 Oscar (Fingal O’Flaghertie Wills) Wilde was born in Dublin. He is the son of Dr. William Wilde and the Irish Nationalist poet Jane F. Wilde (known as "Speranza", her pen name). Oscar grew up with very high expectations of him by his mother. He was enrolled at Trinity College, where he graduated by the age of seventeen and continued his schooling on a scholarship to Oxford. At Oxford he was known as aesthete. Under the influence of the aesthetic movement of the late 19th century, Oscar found the notions of "art for art’s sake" and dedicating one’s life to art suitable to his temperament and talents. Although Oscar didn’t have any substantial achievements in his to be well known from 1878 to 1881, he was still quite popular in London. He categorized himself into the class of people labeled as "the beautiful people." As a "beautiful [person]" he wore outrageous clothes, passed himself off as an art critic and aesthete, and built a reputation for saying shocking things and doing amusing things. These "beautiful people" were often called dandies, wearing clothes similar to Wilde’s manner of dress: velvet coat, knee breeches, silk stockings, pale green tie, shoulder length hair, loose silk shirts, and a lily he occasionally would carry. Oscar’s popularity, flamboyance, and of course literary talent led him closer and closer to the fame he desired. Oscar published his first volume of poems in 1881. In 1882, upon arriving in New York City, he began a yearlong tour of North America. His lectures were more on aestheticism and "art for art’s sake" than on the strength of his reputation as a writer. W... ...e "The Ballad of Reading Gaol" (pronounced "redding jail"), a poem that explored the harsh nature of prison life. It was published anonymously under the pseudonym of C33 (Wilde’s prison number), and became his last significant work. Oscar Wilde died at the age of 46 on November 30, 1990 of cerebral meningitis. Bibliography Beckson, Karl. Aesthetes and Decadents of the 1890’s. Vintage Books, New York, 1966. Charlesworth, Barbara. Dark Passages-The Decadent Consciousness in Victorian Literature. The University of Wisconsin Press. Madison, Wisconsin, 1965. Harris, Frank. Oscar Wilde. Dorset Press, New York, 1989. Montgomery Hyde, H. Oscar Wilde- The Aftermath. Farrar, Strauss & Company, New York, 1963. University Books. The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde- The verbatim Transcripts and an introduction by H. Montgomery Hyde. University Books, New York, January 1956. Oscar Wilde Essay -- GCSE English Literature Coursework Oscar Wilde Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth. On October 16, 1854 Oscar (Fingal O’Flaghertie Wills) Wilde was born in Dublin. He is the son of Dr. William Wilde and the Irish Nationalist poet Jane F. Wilde (known as "Speranza", her pen name). Oscar grew up with very high expectations of him by his mother. He was enrolled at Trinity College, where he graduated by the age of seventeen and continued his schooling on a scholarship to Oxford. At Oxford he was known as aesthete. Under the influence of the aesthetic movement of the late 19th century, Oscar found the notions of "art for art’s sake" and dedicating one’s life to art suitable to his temperament and talents. Although Oscar didn’t have any substantial achievements in his to be well known from 1878 to 1881, he was still quite popular in London. He categorized himself into the class of people labeled as "the beautiful people." As a "beautiful [person]" he wore outrageous clothes, passed himself off as an art critic and aesthete, and built a reputation for saying shocking things and doing amusing things. These "beautiful people" were often called dandies, wearing clothes similar to Wilde’s manner of dress: velvet coat, knee breeches, silk stockings, pale green tie, shoulder length hair, loose silk shirts, and a lily he occasionally would carry. Oscar’s popularity, flamboyance, and of course literary talent led him closer and closer to the fame he desired. Oscar published his first volume of poems in 1881. In 1882, upon arriving in New York City, he began a yearlong tour of North America. His lectures were more on aestheticism and "art for art’s sake" than on the strength of his reputation as a writer. W... ...e "The Ballad of Reading Gaol" (pronounced "redding jail"), a poem that explored the harsh nature of prison life. It was published anonymously under the pseudonym of C33 (Wilde’s prison number), and became his last significant work. Oscar Wilde died at the age of 46 on November 30, 1990 of cerebral meningitis. Bibliography Beckson, Karl. Aesthetes and Decadents of the 1890’s. Vintage Books, New York, 1966. Charlesworth, Barbara. Dark Passages-The Decadent Consciousness in Victorian Literature. The University of Wisconsin Press. Madison, Wisconsin, 1965. Harris, Frank. Oscar Wilde. Dorset Press, New York, 1989. Montgomery Hyde, H. Oscar Wilde- The Aftermath. Farrar, Strauss & Company, New York, 1963. University Books. The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde- The verbatim Transcripts and an introduction by H. Montgomery Hyde. University Books, New York, January 1956.

Disc Brake System: How Does It Work Essay

Brake system is a device that creates frictions to slow down and eventually to stop the movement of an object. There are a few different types of brakes; however, they are all built on the same principle of friction. In automotive, the most common type of brake today is the disc brake because it provides higher efficiency and more safety to users. Disc brake consists of brake fluid, a piston, a caliper, brake pads, a rotor, and a hub. The following is a basic description of a disc brake’s mechanism. 1.When the brake pedal is pressed, the brake fluid is forced to enter the caliper cylinder where the piston is sitting in. In turn, that fluid pushes the piston, which is attached with a brake pad on the other end, toward the rotor. 2.Once the brake pad is in contact with the rotor, the caliper contracts to bring the other brake pad to contact with the other side of the rotor as well. The pushing of both brake pads against the rotor generates a friction force that will slow the rotation of the rotor and eventually bring it to a stop. 3. Because the wheel attaches to the hub and the hub attaches to the rotor, thus, when the rotor is slowed down, the wheel is also slowed down. 4.Meanwhile, the friction between the tire and the surface of the road also acts to slow the rotation of the wheel. Disc brake can generate a significant amount of friction. This is why its main applications usually involve movement with great velocity such as cars and aircraft. Because disc brake does require more maintenance than other simpler brake and because brake is directly related to your safety when driving, it is recommended to have your brakes checked regularly by a licensed brake technician/specialist.