Women in Prison an Example by

Women in Prison The rate of convicted women has rapidly increased since 1980 ("Fact sheet: Women in Prison", 2006). Forgery and illegal use of credit are the two most common crimes ("Women in Prison"). There are also cases of theft and handling of stolen goods (Tchaikovsky, 2007). On the other hand, self-defense has been the main reason why women commit violent crimes such as killing their partners ("Women in Prison"). Need essay sample on "Women in Prison" topic? We will write a custom essay sample specifically for you Proceed Inside prison, some committed suicide while others suffer from mental illnesses. There are also reported cases of sexual assault like rape among women by guards and staffs. According to the Bureau of Justice (2006), 47% are abused in state prisons and 39% sexually abused. There are also cases of HIV/AIDS infection which is greater in women than men with 3.6% and 2% in 2000 respectively ("Fact sheet: Women in Prison", 2006). Among these women, majority are African-American and suffering from longer terms than whites ("Women in Prison"). There are many considerable effects of imprisonment among women such as lost of communication with their family; children are left behind, and inmates suffering from mental illnesses and sexual abuse. These are just some of the issues that the government should act upon. In addressing these issues, projects and campaigns are established. Women in Prison Project, established in 1991, is one of the successful implementing bodies which protect women and their families. The Project conducts public education, manages a training program form former inmates, and coordinates with other organizations as well. The Project aims on helping inmates maintain their communication with their families, monitor the issues and problems of women, and help them to be a productive citizen of the society. The project has accomplished publishing a report about the issues faced by women, distributing a manual that analyzes the results of imprisonment of women and is planning to develop more programs as well ("Women in Prison Project", 2007). WORKS CITED Fact sheet: Women in Prison. (2006). Tchaikovsky, C. (2007). Women in Prison.Women in Prison. Women in Prison Project. (2007). Women in prison an Example by Women in prison Crime does not pay. Those who commit crimes must suffer or endure the consequences of their actions. For every wrong act, there should be a corresponding corrective method. This is supposedly the purpose of correctional facilities. The criminal justice system is supposed to assist those who have done wrong to become better citizens and people. At the same time, the said system is meant to show repeat offenders that they cannot simply get away with it. Sadly though, correctional facilities have failed to live up to their purpose. Instead of helping the inmates become better, they have only served as housing for those who have committed crime, no matter how grave or petty. Need essay sample on "Women in prison" topic? We will write a custom essay sample specifically for you Proceed There is a need to revamp the criminal justice system and correction system most especially with their treatment of women. Today, the prison population of women has grown drastically. Women are the fastest growing segment of prisoners. In California alone, the number of women who are housed in correctional facilities has grown by 850% between 1980 and 1999. (Ogden, 61) This means that their needs cannot be ignored any longer. The most important change that must be made is to remove the prison-industrial complex. This is a system wherein prisons are not merely facilities devoted to correctional causes or purposes. Instead, prisons are used as a source of cheap labor. The prisoners serve as laborers and commercial establishments take advantage of prisoners because it will greatly lower their production costs. This is truly a sad state of correctional facilities in the country. Prisoners become raw materials as companies who build the facilities generate more profit as more prisoners are sent to jail. (Ogden, 63) Even the government is part of this system since the more people they send to jail, the more facilities they need to build. In turn, this creates more jobs. (Smith) The prison-industrial complex defeats the primary purpose of the prison. Instead of providing inmates with opportunities to grow, improve themselves, and realize and learn from their mistakes, this system plunges them to what seems like modern day slavery. (Smith, 106) Women in prisons today are mostly underprivileged. Most of them are either African-Americans or Native Americans. White women make up only a small portion of their population. Moreover, most women in prison come from the lower socio-economic classes. Such statistics point to the prevailing fact that the prison system is greatly biased against those from lower classes. Intersectionality, which refers to the combination of two or more forms of discrimination greatly affects women in the prison system. Since women of color make up majority of women inmates, they experience harsher treatment because of two primary factors, their color or race and their gender. Discrimination based on color combined with discrimination based on gender makes prison life all the more harder for women. For instance, Ogden wrote of how she all her earning from working while in prison was not enough to pay for her necessities as a woman such as those she needs for personal care. Pregnant inmates also are not given the proper care and attention as what Smith wrote. This is because prisons are primarily male-centered institutions. This means that the prison facilities cater to men only. Prison guards are mostly male even in facilities that are meant for women. This increases the chance of abuse and harassment for the inmates. Due to the increasing number of women being sent to prison, there is a need to build facilities that better suit the needs of women inmates. Personal care supplies should be made available to inmates for these are necessities not mere luxuries. Also, the guards of such facilities must be women. This will lessen the risk of sexual abuse and harassment for the inmates. For pregnant women, proper care should be provided. In general, women in prisons should be treated as human beings. They should be provided with sufficient access to their necessities. Some may say that prisoners should not be provided special treatment. Some may even suggest that they should be made to suffer the consequences of their actions. However, this is not the point of correctional facilities. Punishment and suffering cannot and will not help inmates improve themselves. Instead of punishing them with a hard life, correctional facilities should focus on giving inmates the chance to realize their mistakes and learn from them. Another important point to make is that most inmates come from impoverished families. Poverty is often the reason why most of them are led to a life of crime. Most of those who are in prison turned to drugs because of poverty. As Ogden (62) wrote, The majority are in prison for economic and drug-related crimes. With such being the case, correctional facilities should focus on providing inmates with vocational and technical training. Such training will equip them with necessary skills that will allow them to move up in the socio-economic ladder. Having such skills will prevent them from turning to crime again since they finally will be given a chance to overcome poverty after they leave the walls of prison. Finally, the criminal justice system should review the law on mandatory minimum sentence. This regulation requires that people committed for certain crimes must receive a prison sentence. This law requires reconsideration because some sentences are unnecessary. These recommendations may not be agreeable with some people. However, when considering the problems that the women in correctional facilities face, these recommendations will greatly alleviate their suffering with the criminal justice system. Work Cited Ogden, Stormy. The Prison-Industrial Complex in Indigenous California. In Global Lockdown: Race, Gender, and the Prison-Industrial Complex. Julia Sudbury, Julia Chinyere Oparah. Routledge, 2005. pp 57-65. Smith, Kemba. Modern Day Slavery: Inside the Prison-Industrial Complex. In Global Lockdown: Race, Gender, and the Prison-Industrial Complex. Julia Sudbury, Julia Chinyere Oparah. Routledge, 2005. pp 105-107.

The Major Aspects of Organizations Resourcing Strategies

The Major Aspects of Organizations Resourcing Strategies Selection Employee selection process constitutes a major aspect of organization’s resourcing strategies because it defines and protects people being crucial for the organization. Due to the fact that the selection process consists in soliciting all possible information about the candidates to assess their suitability for a particular organization, it is very sophisticated, creating a solid platform for matching the recruits with the organizational staff.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on The Major Aspects of Organization’s Resourcing Strategies specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Therefore, the strictness of approaches to selecting people is vital because negligence of specific criteria can lead to negative consequences. In addition, managers should be aware of the fact that selection process should effectively supported by the technological innovation because inaccuracy of the information delivered can lead to failure of choosing the appropriate candidate, as it happened to Liverpool Direct, a leading service company located in London (Bocij, Greasely and Hickie, p. 128). The chief executive David McElinney realized the major problem and managed to eliminate the problem, but the losses were still inevitable. Managing Diversity Cultural diversity is identified a concept demanding serious change to all spheres of organizational activities in order to ensure that various strategies and characteristics of human resources are highly appreciated. The effectiveness of successful diversity management is evident, specifically when it comes to enhanced creativity and innovation, better comprehension of customers’ needs, and improved recruitment opportunities. More positive moral and greater employee retention are also the outcomes of fruitful introduction of consistent diversity management. One of brightest examples of appropriate diversity management is Pacific Dunlop, a large Aust ralian company that acknowledges the explicit connection between poor moral and negligence of social and cultural backgrounds (Steger and Erwee, n. d., p. 78). The company strictly embraces diversity management strategies and successfully contributes to employee retention. In addition, the company’s person-oriented strategy positively influences the organizational performance as well because workers are more likely to favor the business activities in healthier environments. Human Resource Development On the one hand, straight course on identifying the goals and achieving the results is one of the conditions for successful business management. On the other hand, excessive focus on achievements can lead to a stressful and unhealthy situation within an employed environment.Advertising Looking for assessment on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Consequently, a good manager should be able to stri ke the balance between those orientations and create a harmonious, two-polar approach in the sphere of human resource management and development. Case study of Wall-Mart proves that inappropriate human resource management can lead to serious consequences for organizational productivity and performance. Specifically, labor right violations and reluctance of managerial staff to introduce changes to treating their personnel negatively affected the company’s image and performance. Assessing HRM Effectiveness Inability to treat the employees effectively can put the effectiveness of human resource management in question. Failure to introduce trustful and reliable relationships between the members of an organization can have a negative impact on the organizational performance. Traditionally, HR professionals perceive employee morale and commitment from conceptual viewpoint. However, in order to fulfill the role of HR agent effectively, concepts and theories should be substituted wit h evidence and practice. Inability to introduce effective human resource strategies were also observed in a leading document management company Xerox. The problem is that the company had significant problems in terms of work culture and leadership that occurred during the tenure of Rick Thoman and Paul Allaire. People problems were specifically connected with wrong decision made by the managers in terms of sales force reorganization that was less prioritized. Therefore, the industry personal should have been more concentrated on the organizational goals rather than on the needs of individual customers, which resulted in the company’s decline. Regarding the discussions presented above, it should be stressed that the HR practitioners presented in the case were part of the problems related to the job analysis, recruitment, and human resource management assessment and development.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on The Major Aspects of Organizationâ₠¬â„¢s Resourcing Strategies specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In particular, a monopolistic view on the business strategy did not provide results for the investment house Foy and Pirelli because the company did not succeed in meeting the employees’ needs. Managers strongly ignored their initiative; instead, they were more focused on their goals. In addition, the case with MoneyPenny proves that considering cultural and social background is crucial for the success of business operations. Therefore, before initiating the project in Bangkok, the manager should think more carefully over the appropriate candidature for the business journey. The next issue related to human resource management is the development and advancement of techniques aimed at improving working conditions and settling a more favorable emotional climate within an organization. In other words, managers should strike the balance between person-oriented and goal-oriented p olicies being the major conditions for reaching high management performance. In this respect, the case with Steve Lambert proves that aggressive polices deprived of organizational moral will not contribute to positive results and achievement on the part of the employees. Similar to this case, the managers from the investment house Foy and Pirelli also failed to follow the above recommendations and did take into account individual needs as the leading in reaching high level of organizational performance. They were, therefore, part of the problem in this situation. There were also the parties that positively contributed to the management performance, like Mike Burnett, a new manager of Foy and Pirelli who managed to solve the problem with low management performance through cultural revolution. In whole, most of the cases prove incompetence of managers in dealing with human resource management. References Bocij, P., Greaseley, A., and Hickie, S. (2009). Business Information Systems: Te chnology, Development and Management. NY: Pearson Education. Steger M., and Erwee, R. (n. d.). Managing Diversity in the Public Sector: A Case Study of a Small City Council.  International Journal of Organizational Behavior. 4(1), 77-95.Advertising Looking for assessment on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More

Tourist Destination Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Tourist Destination - Assignment Example Since the commencement of civilization, human beings have travelled from one place to the other. It was the basic necessities of life such as water, food, resources that acted as the early motivators of travelling. Nevertheless, the idea to travel for leisure and pleasure emerged after quite a few hundred years. One of the early travel guides, Guide to Greece was written by Pausanias during 170 A.D for the Roman tourists (PRM, n.d.). The surge in leisure travelling activities occurred due to the development of technology. Earlier travellers used to travel either by walking or rode domesticated animals. Slowly with the passage of time, the invention of different transportation mediums, improved road condition and stabilized government has played a critical role in the robust growth of this industry. With each new development of technology and infrastructure, the scope and opportunities of travelling has increased. In this assignment, a report will be produced on the tourist destinatio ns of the United Kingdom and it will be compared with the tourist destinations from Kenya. In addition, the report will evaluate some of the characteristics of the tourist destination of the UK and it will be evaluated and how these characteristics have an impact on the appeal to tourists. Furthermore, the study also proposes to analyse the issues that impacts the popularity of the tourist destinations. Last, the study seeks to discuss about the potential for responsible tourism to enhance the host community at worldwide destinations. On the basis of the findings of the discussion of the aforementioned points, the report will ultimately draw a conclusion to the study. Overview of the Global Tourism Industry The tourism industry is considered as one of the prime sectors in the global economy. It is often dubbed as the largest single industry. The tourism activity also acts as a major source of employment for a number of developing as well as developed countries and is a source of ear ning foreign exchanges. Often, tourism is referred to as a ‘double edged’ activity as it has both positive and negative impacts on the society and the environment. The positive contribution of tourism appears in the form of socioeconomic achievements, increased regional popularity and development of the infrastructure. However, along with that due to its fast and sometime uncontrollable growth it becomes the major cause of environment degradation, traditional cultures and loss of local identity. Moreover, although physical and biological resources are the factors that attracts the tourists but along with that the tension created by the tourism activities on the frail ecosystem aggravates and accelerates their depletion. Paradoxically, the success of the tourism industry of a country is directly proportional to the degradation of the environment. As far as the development of the national economy is concerned, tourism certainly constitutes opportunity for the economic dev elopment of a nation, overall growth of the country and economic diversification. The tourism industry constitutes around 5-6% of the global GNP (Gross National Product). According to reports of World Tourism Organization (WTO), it is currently the largest industry of the world with annual revenue of staggering $3 trillion dollars (biodiversity, 2012). The industry provides around 6 million jobs in the United States alone

Research Paper Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Assignment - Research Paper Example Therefore, arguments that Information technology has lost its strategic value are baseless. According to Carr, companies were investing too much of their resources on IT (Carr, 2003). He therefore argued that it’s the high time that they turn their focus on risks rather than competitive advantage. However, this is not the case. After the entry of information technology, there was a boom as each company wanted to align itself effectively in the market. At the same time, globalization intensified as a result of liberalization of markets, efficient flow of information, and integration of economies. Consequently, companies were expanding their markets and operations in order to expand their sources of revenues. Therefore, they needed the necessary IT to enable them to monitor and manage various operations by the subsidiaries. This increased the demand. However, over the years, companies have reduced their spending on IT and have now focused on improving the existing infrastructure. Therefore, it is not right to argue that the value of information technology has diminish ed. On the contrary, new firms still invest heavily on IT. Nevertheless, with time they reduced this spending spree and focus on training and equipping their subordinates with the necessary skills to enable them maximize the returns through the use of IT. Carr argues that the greatest IT risk is overspending (Carr, 2003). He states that this puts the company at a cost disadvantage. However, this is not the case with the changes being experienced in the market. Initially, there were only few firms in the market. However, with the increasing levels of liberalization, multinational companies have entered different markets across the world in order to reduce the risks and uncertainties associated with concentrating on a single market. Research indicates that these companies

History final in-class essays Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

History final in-class essays - Essay Example These empires are one of the most important empires because they provide a lot of information and important documents concerning the Islamic culture and beliefs (Bryce, 2013). To begin with, the Ottoman Empire was formed around the beginning of 14th century and was the first empire to be formed among these three empires. It covers areas such as the North Africa region, Egypt, Syria, Arabia, Iraq, and the Balkans region. It was founded by a sultan known as Sultan Selim in 1512 and its boundaries covers Atlantic Ocean region to the whole Persian Gulf (Dinc & Yetim, 2012). The empire went in first battle of the Lepanto at around 1571 and later went in a battle where it was defeated in 1683 in Vienna. In addition, the empire is remembered as one of the great Islamic empires that brought modernization in the late 19th century that. Although it failed to improve the economic, political, and social process in its regions, it was seen to provide bigger impact on the cultural Islamic historic al life (Carnegie, 2013). The empire ruled until around 1600, where it reached its peak and later started to decline due to some internal lack of organization. Again, the decline was due to enemy pressure that was inflicted to the empire by the Europe and Asia enemies of the empire. Although the empire faced various challenges, it was it came to an end in 1918 after World War I. The empire is remembered as one of the great Islamic empires that gave rise to the present day country called Turkey. Again, the empire is also remembered as one of the empires that provided the link between the medieval revolution and the current Islamic historical information (Guidetti, 2013). The second great Islamic empire is known as the Safavid Empire that was founded in 1501 as a result of political changes in Persia. The empire is come from the name Safavid that was the name of Sufi order formed by the Sunnite mystic. Although Safi-ad-Din died in around 1334 the empire name was passed to Shiism at ar ound 1400 hence the name the Shiite Safavid Empire. Ismail became the head of Safavid in 1487 and ruled up to 1501 where he declared himself the Shah of Iran and established a dynasty that united and brought together Iran people and ruled them up to late 1722. Iran became more influenced by the western culture in the early 19th century leading to modernization, which brought about the Islamic religion of today. Besides the empire although formed in 1501was one of the great Islamic empires that was originated as a result of religious sect and acquired most of political as well as military characteristic. This empire was officially the empire of Shiite and some of the religious diversity he has led to conflict between it and the Sunni neighbors. Besides this is one the empires that ruled within the shortest time and was greatly affected by the invaders such as the Afghans which attacked them in around 1722. The empire is greatly remembered for its nationalism and it led to the formati on of the present day Iran country (Behbudi, 2013). The third empire is the Mughal Empire that was based in India and was founded in 1526 (Garcia-Rivero, 2013). The empire faced many challenges and was affected British empires. In addition, the empire gained from the succession of strong rulers that gave him the Hindu population

Theories of Motivation for Second Language Acquisition (SLA)

Theories of Motivation for Second Language Acquisition (SLA) This paper is an attempt to understand the complex relationship between Second Language Learning (SLA) and motivation. The paper first develops some common theories in SLA and attempts to show the difficulties L2 learners have when learning a new language. The paper highlights these difficulties in relation to language acquisition and motivation. Motivation is discussed with reference to SLA learning and shows how our understanding of motivation can lead us to better equip the learner for success. The paper develops some language Learning strategies, used in relation to motivation, and how we can measure them for a better outcome in the classroom. MOTIVATION AND THE L2 LEARNER HOW CAN IDEAS OF MOTIVATION IN L2 ACQUISITION LEARNING BEST EQUIP THE TEACHER-STUDENT RELATIONSHIP FOR SUCCESS? There are many reasons why somebody would learn a new language. This paper attempts to show that the relationship between Second language learner and motivation plays a key role in this desired success for learner. The paper discusses some common themes in Second Language Learning (SLA) and shows how learners face their own difficulties according their decision as to when to start to learn a language. With these difficulties recognised the paper goes on to show how early theories of motivation and its relationship to SLA provided a foundation for language learning strategies to develop. These developments, it will be argued, have lead to a greater understanding of the effects motivation have on the L2 learner. The paper moves on to discuss some common learning strategies theories that equip the teacher to provide better motivational strategies within the classroom. The strategies for the teacher are discussed in relation to different kinds of motivation. The importance of motivation and SLA: Many researchers have used, to some extent, a social-psychology model of learning in conjunction with the Second Language Acquisition model. The cognitive Social Learning Theory (SLT), which stems from the Social Cognitive Theory was extensively cited and empirically tested by Bandura (1989). Banduras work focused heavily on behavior and methods that stimulated behavioral change. His theory has three guiding principles: understand and predict individual and group behavior, identification of methods where behaviors can be modified or changed, and the development of personality, behavior, and health promotion (Bandura, 1997). The aspect of self-efficacy and self-perceptions led to the understanding of self-regulation when it came to adult modification of behavior (Zimmerman 1990). In a study of second language learning, Prinzi (2007) explained the importance of motivation. He posited that there is a very close relationship between motivation and second language learning. With low motivation, students may idly sit by and miss valuable learning experiences. This may limit their success and that can lead to increased frustration and in a loss of even more motivation (3). Motivation in second language learning was defined by Gardner (1985) as referring to the extent to which the individual works or strives to learn the language because of a desire to do so and satisfaction experienced in this activity (10). Motivation is not a simple concept to explain. Motivated second language learners exhibit many other qualities in addition to effort, desire, and positive effects. Motivated individuals have specific goals to achieve. They show consistent effort, strong desire, and effects. They also may experience satisfaction when they are successful and dissatisfaction when they are not (Gardner, 2001: 9). Second Language Acquisition: The second language acquisition classroom is unique in that it emphasizes oral and written communication, strives for authentic information and cultural interaction, builds vocabulary, and focuses on comprehension (Brecht, 2000). It is unique in comparisons to other classrooms in that the student learns and acquires information in a language other than the primary language. However, in order to grasp a better understanding of second language acquisition, a definition and an understanding of how acquisition occurs is required. There are various definitions of Second Language Acquisition. The definitions stem from many cross-disciplinary fields: applied linguistics, social psychology, educational philosophy, behavior psychology, and so on. The terminology for second language acquisition stems from the field of applied linguistics, the rationalist way of describing language learning (Brecht, 2000). Acquisition of a second language requires an individual to process subconsciously the sounds and utterances of the target language (Krashen, 1985). In language acquisition, the learner concentrates on the communicative act and not on the form or correctness of the language (Krashen, 1985). According to Krashen, acquisition of a language is very similar to the way children learn their first language and constitutes a simple but natural way of language acquisition. According to Chomsky (1986) and Krashen (1985), people are born with the ability to learn their first language. The first language learned as a child or your primary or mother tongue, is considered Language one (LI). In Universal Grammar, children are born with an inborn code to learn LI from birth, which is called the innate Language Acquisition Device (LAD). This device is believed to play a significant role in adult acquisition of L2 (Chomsky, 1986; Krashen, 1985). On the other hand, second language learning requires the formal instruction of language, and is comprised of a conscious process of factual knowledge about the language. Learning differs from acquisition in that the individual makes a deliberate and conscious effort, focusing on the correctness and accuracy, to speak the language; thus, at times, hindering fluency. Therefore, when one is introduced to a language at an older age, it is first learned, coupled with comprehension, and then acquired. Acquisition of a second language by adults occurs similarly to children if the adult student is not fixated on correctness of the language and accepts errors (Krashen, 2004). The acquisition of a language requires one to feel through a language and allow for trial and error. When trial and error occurs, the student may not be in conscious awareness of it but feels his/her way through the language, sensing correctness, thus birthing comprehension in the language (Krashen, 1985; Krashen, 2004). Krashens second language acquisition theory (1985) is comprised of five hypotheses: the Acquisition-Learning Hypothesis, the Monitor Hypothesis, the Natural Order Hypothesis, the Input Hypothesis, and the Affective Filter Hypothesis. The Acquisition-Learning Hypothesis, as described in the previous paragraph, makes a distinction between the conscious learning process and the subconscious learning process. According to Krashen, what is consciously learned through the teaching of grammar and rules does not become acquisition of the target language. Krashen views second language acquisition as an informal venue, focusing on the input of messages, which can be understood in L2 and then acquired. By contrast, Ellis views language learning as an integral, important aspect of second language acquisition (Ellis, 1985). The Monitor Hypothesis claims that learnt material acts as a monitor device to edit output materials. According to Krashen, we acquire language through trial and error. When we attempt to transmit a message and fail, we continue through trial and error until we arrive at the correct utterance or form. The conscious learning of a language, through formal instruction, provides rule isolation, which can only be used as a monitor or an editing device, which normally occurs prior to output (Krashen, 1985, Krashen, 2004). The Natural Order Hypothesis states that we acquired the grammar rules and regulations of a language in a natural order (Krashen, 1985). To truly acquire a language, individuals must comprehend the message being sent or received, which is known as comprehensible input. Comprehensible Input (CI) is seen as the central aspect of Krashens Input Hypothesis (IH). Krashen believes that IH is the key to acquiring a second language because it is completely embedded in CI. Input plus the next level along the natural order equates CI (i+1) (Krashen, 1985, Krashen, 2004). Krashen views CI as the road to acquisition. Many other second language acquisition theorists agree with comprehensible input but do not completely agree with Krashens model of Input Hypothesis, which places Learnt Knowledge towards the end or after CI. Ellis (1985) found Krashens model posed some theoretical issues pertaining to the validity of the acquisition-learning distinction (p. 266). When input or instruction is just above the level of the student, coupled with instruction rooted in a meaningful context, it invites modification, interaction and collaboration. Input is not to be construed as intake. Input is what the teachers are contributing; intake is what the students take in from the teacher. Comprehensible input can be blocked by Affective factors-factors that deal with an individuals emotion (e.g. fear, anxiety, self-perception) (Erhman Oxford, 1990). Lastly, Affective Filter Hypothesis is viewed as blockages for CI to occur. The learner may not be able to use CI if there is a block that prevents the full use of profiting from the comprehensible input. Yet, once the comprehensible input hits the LAD and is then processed, the knowledge of the language is acquired. The conscious aspect of the language starts to act as a monitoring device before the output occurs. Krashen sees focusing on the conscious aspect of language learning (specifically grammar accuracy) as a hindrance to the acquisition of a second language (Krashen, 2004). Krashen believes we have an innate ability to acquire language with involvement from our surroundings, thus enhancing the utterances and nuances, which develop childrens language into adulthood. Yet, many researchers feel that acquisition doesnt occur or occurs less, in young adolescents and adult second language learners (Felder Henriques, 1995). McLaughlin (1992) explained the difficulties adults face when trying to acquire a second language, and why children seem to learn a second language more easily than older learners (McLaughlin, 1992). First, adolescent and adult second language learners are not placed in situations where they are forced to speak the target second languages, unless they are in the target language country. Second, the requirements to communicate for children are different than those of adults. Adult and adolescent language-learners have difficult words to communicate and a richer, more developed language vocabulary than do children. According to McLaughlin (1992), once these issues are addressed it is possible for an adult to acquire a second language, and to achieve competence and fluency in a second language. Motivation and Language Acquisition A number of factors have been shown to influence performance in the second or foreign language classroom. Gardner (1985) found motivational components such as attitudes towards learning the language, motivational intensity and desire to learn the language had a positive influence on performance in the language-learning classroom. Researchers have confirmed motivation as an influence on performance in the second or foreign language-learning classroom, with attitude as a situational support (Gardner, 1985; Gardner, Masgoret Tremblay, 1997). The motivational construct, which is derived from the two types of motivation, are motivational intensity, the desire to learn a language and the attitude one has towards learning the language (Gardner, 1985). Gardeners motivational propositions, which is comprised of intergrativeness, attitude towards learning the language, and desire to learn the language, instrumental orientation, refers to an interest in language learning for pragmatic reasons, and language anxiety, referring to the anxiety reaction of the individual when called upon to use the target language (Gardner, 1985). These propositions have been shown to have an effect on second language learning. These constructs were shown to have an affect on second or foreign language achievement (Gardner, Masgoret Tremblay, 1997). The socio-educational second language acquisition model was a catalyst for the development of the Attitude Motivation Test Battery (AMTB), which was created to assess various individual variable differences within the second or foreign language-learning classroom (Gardner, 1985; Gardner, Masgoret Tremblay, 1997; Hashimoto, 2002). The model described by Gardner was seen as a good start to understanding motivation within the second language acquisition classroom (Dornyei, 2005; Hashimoto, 2002). Although Gardners proposition have been used, cited and extensively supported, it has practically gone unchallenged until the 1990s (Dornyei, 2005). In addition, the many facets of motivation within a second language acquisition classroom was suggested to be very robust to be limited to just intergrativeness and instrumentation (Dornyei, 2005). Researchers find that Gardners model excludes some variables, and that limited concepts of cognition, and self-efficacy are mentioned (Dornyei, 2005; Maclntyre, MacMaster Baker, 2001). One study to test Gardners propositions was conducted by Gardner et al. (1997), who conducted an exploratory/explanatory study about the predictive validities of different measures to determine the underlying dimensions of the relationships among constructs used such as language attitude, motivation, anxiety, self-confidence, language aptitude, learning strategies, field independence, and measures of achievement in the target language. Although many of the relationships between some of these constructs had been investigated, there had not been a study that considered all of these constructs together (Gardner et al., 1997). The literature review consisted primarily of empirical studies testing the relationship between each of the above-mentioned constructs and their effect on language-learning achievement (Gardner et al., 1997). Gardner et al. (1997) identified a shortage of empirical studies concerning the relationships between the constructs and L2 achievement in terms of a causal model and the predictive validity of those constructs on second language academic achievement (Gardner et al., 1997). A random sample of 102 (82 females and 20 males) university students enrolled in introductory French was studied. Participants were tested in two stages; the first stage was a questionnaire containing the constructs of attitudes, motivation, achievement and self-rating scales of French Proficiency, and the second stage was a short language history questionnaire (Gardner et al., 1997). Data collection procedures were clearly described. There was no indication of whether or not the study was IRB approved. Reported Cronbachs alphas for the three subscales that make up the Motivation construct were .86 for Attitudes towards Learning French, .78 for Desire to Learn French, and .76 for Motivational Intensity (Gardner et al., 1997). To investigate the factor structure of the instrumentation, Gardner et al. (1997) conducted exploratory factor analysis, and specified an eight-factor varimax factor analytic solution. Eight values were required to be more than 1.0. Regardless of the different theoretical models, they grouped together into five independent clusters. These five factors were identified as: Self-confidence with French, Language Learning Strategies, Motivation to Learn French, Language Aptitude, and Orientation to Learn French (Gardner et al., 1997). Results indicated that some of the variables were more highly related than others to indices of achievement based on measures of specific skills taken more or less at the time when these other variables were assessed. Furthermore, most measures demonstrated comparable correlations when criterion was a more global measure, such as French grades, that reflects competence in a number of characteristics over a long period of time. Nevertheless, most of the variables in this study (except for the measures of Learning Strategies and Field Independence, and to some extent Language Attitudes) were found to be significantly related to measures of L 2 proficiency (Gardner et al., 1997). These results led Gardner at al. (1997) to conclude the following: 1) there are some functional relationships among the measures, and that even these categories are not mutually exclusive; 2) when achievement is assessed by relatively objective measures taken at the same time as the other measures, indices of language anxiety, self confidence, and can-do evidence much higher correlations with achievement than do indices of Language Aptitude, Motivation, or Language Attitude (Gardner et al., 1997). Results provided strong support for the causal model, suggesting that the model permitted a way to understand how variables interrelated and complemented one another (Gardner et al., 1997). The authors suggested that further research might benefit from investigating the possible confounds of all the variables, with self examination of French proficiency, as well as feelings of anxiety, which might further assist language educators in developing new ways to improve L2 achievement (Gardner et al., 1997). Language-Learning Strategies and Second Language Acquisition According to OMalley and Chamot (1990), much of the prior research in second language acquisition focused on the teacher creating information that would enhance comprehensible input. Very little research actually focused on the process of the learner intake or what goes on with the learner. The focal point was placed on how information is stored and retrieved for future use but not on the enhancement of learning. To arrive at a definition for learning strategies, Chamot and OMalley (1990), thought to identify the process by which strategies were stored and retrieved. Thus, the definition used for learning strategies stemmed from Andersons (1983) cognitive theory, which focuses on how information is stored and retrieved (Chamot OMalley, 1990). The cognitive model of learning indicates that learning is active and presents learners as active participants in the learning process. In the cognitive model learners select information from their environment, organize it, relate it to prior k nowledge, retain what is important, and retrieve it when necessary (Anderson, 1983; Chamot OMalley 1994). According to many experts in the field of language acquisition, active learners are better learners than those who do not actively participate in their own learning processes (Chamot OMalley 1994; Krashen 1985). Metacognitive strategies have been seen as the most important and extensively studied of all the strategies due to the need for students to gain some control of their second language acquisition process. Metacognition has been used by many in the field of second language acquisition to refer to knowledge about cognition or the regulation of cognition (Chamot OMalley, 1990). Metacognition is very much needed in order for students to understand what their cognitive processes are and to guide their learning processes (Chamot OMalley, 1990; Zimmerman Risenberg, 1997). A branch of metacognitive strategy, which social psychologists and educational researchers call self-regulated or self-directed learning, involves goal setting, regulation of efforts to reach a goal, self-monitoring, time management, and physical and social environment regulation (Zimmerman Risenberg, 1997). Since students need to learn to manage the knowledge they receive, it has been noted that students should become more aware of their cognitive learning processes and strategies in order to use and apply metacognitive strategies. Metacognitive strategies aid in providing the learner with self-guidance towards the learning processes, which requires manipulation of the cognitive aspect of learning. Cognitive strategies operate directly on incoming information, manipulating it to further enhance learning (Zimmerman Risenberg, 1997; Chamot OMalley, 1994). Thus, teaching strategies within the academic foreign language classroom, or any content, supports the learner in gaining an important perspective on learning, seeing the relationship between the strategies used and his/her own learning effectiveness, and planning and reflecting on learning, to gain greater directedness or autonomy as a learner. Language-learning strategies are techniques or steps taken by the student to improve their own learning. The term language-learning strategies is used extensively in Oxfords research study to involve naturalistic practice that facilitate the acquisition of language skills, noting guessing and memory strategies are equally useful to both learning and acquisition (Chamot OMalley, 1990; Oxford, 1990). Many researchers sought to classify the language-learning strategies in general, but Oxford (1990) created the most comprehensive classification assessment of strategies called the Strategy Inventory for Language Learners (SILL), which contains six types of strategies, classified into two sub-groups of direct and indirect. The three sub-scales classified as direct language learning strategies are Memory, Cognitive, and Compensation, and the three sub-scales classified, as indirect language-learning strategies are Metacognitive, Affective, and Social strategies. Oxfords development of the Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL) was originally developed to assist with the improvement of foreign language learning for the department of defence and other governmental institution. The original development of the SILL consisted of 121 strategies. The strategies were revised and the current of 80 and 50 items, version 7.0, is the most comprehensive and widely used language-learning strategy inventory to date (Oxford, 1990). Oxfords language learning strategy theory is embedded in the SILL. The two main parts of the SILL consist of direct and indirect strategies. The direct strategies are strategies that deal directly with learning mental processes such as Memory, Cognitive and Compensatory strategies. The first mental process of Memory is a strategy used to assist the learner in retrieving and storing information for later use (Oxford, 1990). This strategy works along with the Cognitive strategies, which are skills that involve manipulation or transformation of the language in some direct way, such as the following: note taking, functional practice in natural setting, reasoning, analysis, formal practice with structures and sounds Oxford, 1990). Cognitive strategies tend to be linked to individual tasks. Learners, who use Cognitive strategies, use many methods to manipulate information mentally through elaborating, image making, or taking notes and physically grouping (Chamot OMalley, 1990; Oxford, 1990). The next three strategies are described as indirect strategies, which are Metacognitive, Affective, and Social strategies. These indirect strategies are behaviors and techniques used to assist the learner with acquiring the second language. Metacognitive Strategies are seen as higher order executive skills that involve planning, monitoring and evaluating the accomplishment of the learning objective. Metacognitive strategies are also seen as actions used for centering, arranging, planning, and evaluating ones learning (Chamot OMalley, 1994; Oxford, 1990). According to Chamot and OMalley (1994) and others, such as Oxford (1990), models can be created for assessing strategies that request metacognition. This strategy is important if learners desire to gain executive control over the learning process and understand their own learning approaches (Oxford, 19990). Affective strategies and Social Strategies are significant in second language acquisition, as presented in Krashens model The Affective Filter, due to its focus on cooperative interaction and control over affects (Krashen, 1982). These strategies are further described, categorized and classified together in the CALLA handbook by Chamot and OMalley (1994). The Affective and Social strategies are not as developed as the other categories in the context of foreign language acquisition due to the nature of individual emotions and attitude towards the topic. This normally falls under the research of social psychologists that look at the affective factors as a possible predictor or hindrance of foreign language achievement (Chamot OMalley, 1990; Krashen, 1985; Oxford, 1990). As a driving energy or reason for someones action or behavior, motivation is an important factor in L2 achievement (Norris-Holt, 2001). Masgoret and Gardner (2003) stated that in the case of second language learning, people understand that motivation inspires language learners goal-directed behavior. One can use a number of individual features to measure motivation. In his study, Song (2002) showed that motivation for foreign language learning involved two further components: the need for achievement with goal-directed behavior and attributions regarding past failures. If heritage students have goals or reasons for learning the language, such as communication with non- English-speaking family members, recognition of their identity, and better career building, they can expect to learn at a higher rate of proficiency. Learner-centered Education One of the most effective educational theories for heritage language education is learner-centered education. According to Tran (n.d.), learner-centered education is a philosophy based on a fundamental change in orientation from the traditional teacher or content centered education. This teaching method focuses on the following characteristics: Goal of learning focused on production rather than knowledge conservation; Focus on learners needs, skills, and personal interests; Focus on individual processes and on personal and interpersonal relationships, beliefs, and perceptions that are affected or supported by the educational system as a whole; and Focus on balance of personal domain, content domain, organizational domain, and technical domain. Focus on self-evaluation and reflection of teaching and learning process In other words, students personal needs are the focus of the learning procedures. Teachers need to maximize learners productivity, knowledge acquisition, skills, augmentation, and development of personal and professional abilities. To accomplish these educational goals, teachers utilize various instructional strategies and educational tools. The educational efforts of learner-centered education facilitate the exploration of meaning and content knowledge through personal and interpersonal discovery. Chickering Gamson (1991) stated the following seven principles of good practice in learner-centered education: Frequent student-faculty interaction should occur Cooperative learning activities should be interspersed among other engaging instructional formats. Students should be actively involved with learning. Instructors should provide prompt, constructive feedback on student performance. Instructors must keep students focused on learning, not on the fear of embarrassment or other distractions. Teachers should communicate high expectations. Teachers must respect diverse talents and ways of learning. (4) Constructivism Constructivism, one of the basic educational theories, is a good and effective paradigm for teaching and learning in this language-learning model. Developing a proper definition of constructivism is the first step to understanding the constructivist learning theory. Hein (1991), defined constructivism as the term [which] refers to the idea that learners construct knowledge for themselves-each learner individually (and socially) constructs meaning-as he or she learns (1). In the constructivist model, learning or education is constructed. This concept is the main characteristic of constructivism. In the actual field of education, constructivism posits that students come to the educational setting with their previous knowledge or experiences and existing ideas. Students can build up a new structure of knowledge with existing information and previous experiences because these are the raw material. In other words, students can construct their own understanding from formulated knowledge and previous experiences. According to Thanasoulas (2004), constructivism in the field of education usually emphasizes students active attitudes in learning. In the constructivist classroom, learning activities require the students full support and active participation. The most important part of the learning process is students reflection and discussion of problem solving methodologies. Notably, reflection is one of the major characteristics of constructivist learning. Students have the ability to control their own learning process to solve the problem, and they lead the way by reflecting on their previous knowledge and prior experiences. While constructivism heavily stresses students own opinions, it also considers integration or collaboration an effective strategy for developing students. In a practical setting, constructivist learning depends upon collaboration among students. The major reason constructivism uses collaboration so extensively is that students learn from their classmates, who have different ideas and experiences. When they share, review, and reflect on their subject together to solve the problem, they can adopt ideas and specific strategies from one another. According to Jaworski (1996), in a constructivist setting teachers try to help create situations where students feel safe questioning and reflecting on their own learning process, in a private or group setting. Teachers also support students with activities for reflecting on their existing knowledge from education and experiences from the past. Constructivist teachers usually have their own roles, which are to coach, facilitate, suggest, and provide the student space to think, criticize, experiment, ask questions, and attempt new things that may or may not work. Teachers encourage students with challenging ideas when they ask for help to set their own goals and means of evaluation or assessment. Constructivist teaching requires inquiry-based activity for problem solving. To encourage students, teachers need to use inquiry methods to start solving the problem. They also need to investigate a main theme or topic and use a variety of materials to find answers. Students may sometimes have incorrect answers, inaccurate solutions to the problems, or unsuitable ideas to explain. These educational procedures are valuable temporary steps to integrating knowledge and experience through exploring the problem. Vygotsky (1986) stated that constructivist teachers also encourage students to constantly assess how an activity is helping them gain understanding of the contents, because teachers believe that students can build up their own comprehension and construct knowledge of the world through experiencing things and reflecting on those experiences. In other words, constructivist learning requires students to take duty and responsibility for their own learning by using questions and analyzing answers (Carvin, n.d.). There are many different understandings and definitions of motivation. Donoghue and Kunkle (1979) described it from three different perspectives behavioristic, cognitive, and constructivist: The behavioristic point of view of motivation is understood in matter of fact terms. This perspective places emphasis on reward. Driven to acquire positive reinforcement, and by previous experiences of reward for behavior, we act accordingly to

Mosquito :: essays research papers

In the article â€Å"The Mosquito in the Net,† author Marc Gunther explores the impact of a small environmental group, Rainforest Action Network, on corporate giants such as Citigroup, Home Depot, Ford, and others. Gunther provides examples of how corporations are influenced by RAN’s less than conventional campaigns and how corporate environmental polices are changed in response. By applying the six theories, one can gain a better understanding of how RAN’s tactics are justified and effective. The utilitarian theory seeks the greatest good for the greatest number of people. In the article, the effort of RAN to hold corporations to a higher environmental standard appears to support the utilitarian theory. For example, RAN targeted Citigroup for its support of logging, mining, and oil-drilling projects due to the impact on rainforests, indigenous people, and the acceleration of global warming (Gunther, 2). Global warming, although a very long term problem, clearly has a world wide impact. Thus, by applying a utilitarian approach it appears that the greatest good for the greatest number of people is met by RAN’s efforts to stop global warming. Under the rights theory, consumers and corporations have the right to choose. Consumers must have the ability of choosing what is good or what is bad, without influence from third parties (Weiss, 88). From the article, it appears that RAN is a third party influencing both corporate decisions. For instance, RAN turned buyers against Boise Paper in order to influence where and how Boise purchases wood for their production of paper (Gunther, 4). However, most Americans have a low regard for big business, and most believe that RAN’s efforts are protecting the environment, thus RAN is essentially protecting the consumers’ rights from big business (Gunter, 3). The justice theory states that one must verify whether RAN’s efforts to influence corporate policy and decisions are a violation of the law (Weiss, 87). With a budget of $2.4 million and a staff under 30, RAN has to resort to some unique techniques to influence corporations that rank on the Fortune 500. These techniques include street theater, internet organizing, celebrity endorsement, and others, all for the purpose of bothering corporations until they give in (Gunther, 2). As long as the tactics used by RAN are legal, they are justified under the justice theory. The application of the free market theory assumes that as long as corporate action is not breaking any law; no interference by the government is essential (Weiss, 168).