Ecotourism in Ecuador

On behalf on the Quichua nation organisation I have been asked to write a report on whether ecotourism is the way forward for countries such as Ecuador. The Quichua people are a native group who live in Napo. In this report I will look at whether Commercial tourism or ecotourism would be best for Napo. Commercial tourism is the traditional tourism that the western world knows. Ecotourism is a way of travelling while improving the welfare of the local people. Ecuador is a republic in north-western South America. It has an area of 272,045 sq km which is roughly the same as the United Kingdom. Ecuador has a pollution of 11 million with a growth rate of 3% per year. It has a diverse population composed of people of European, Native American and African descent. The main language spoken is Spanish but many Indian languages are also spoken. Most Native Americans in Ecuador have become converts to the Roman Catholic faith. Agriculture dominated the economy of Ecuador until the 1970s, when the discovery of petroleum deposits brought added income to the nation. The influx of cash resulted in price increases for many goods and because Ecuador had a limited manufacturing base, people spent the new oil money on goods imported from abroad, therefore increasing Ecuador's foreign debt. Ecuador is a developing and poverty stricken country. There is only one nurse per 2,320 patients which does not help the child mortality rate at 82 deaths per 1000 births. Only 44% of the rural population have access to safe drinking water and the GNP is $1000. Ecuador would benefit from attracting tourists because it would bring money into the country, improving the quality of life. As Ecuador is an LEDC (Less Economically Developed Country), tourism may be its last option and a quick way of bringing money into the country. Commercial Tourism LEDCs promote tourism because it is a very large source of money. LEDCs that do not have any other sources of money coming into the country can turn to tourism for a reliable and steady income unlike farming and other sources which are unreliable. Tourism brings much needed money into the country to help with clean water, electricity, health care, schooling and housing. Tourism creates direct employment at hotels, bars and shops and it creates indirect employment, for example the local farmers growing produce for nearby hotels. Local people would be able to produce and sell their souvenirs to tourists opening up the souvenir trade. Local unskilled people would be trained to work in hotels, and as tour guides. Commercial tourism creates many more jobs than ecotourism due to the number of facilities and hotels and because of this unemployment in the region would be very low. Tourism encourages overseas investment into airports and roads, improving transport systems. This would then encourage more tourists to come to that country. The profit and improvements made from tourism would stop migration of people from the country as there would be many jobs available and an incentive to stay. Tourism can have very positive effects on a country while at the same time ruining the culture, traditions and lives of native people. The sight of hotels and planes can spoil the appearance of the once untouched surroundings creating air and noise pollution. Usually only between 10 and 20% of all profits made stays in the country. As most hotels are foreign owned and most tourists spend their money in the hotels all of the profits go out of the country. As the tourism industry is seasonal, people may not be earning an income for some parts of the year. As the hotels are foreign owned most of the high paid jobs for example ‘manager' would be filled by foreign people. The money earned by these people would not stay in the country. Local craft industries would be destroyed due to the need for mass produced cheap souvenirs unlike their hand made quality pieces. Foreign companies may seize the souvenir monopoly by selling very cheap mass produced goods. Again this profit would be leaving the country. The farming economy is damaged as land is sold off to developers to build hotels. The hotels would prefer to buy food from overseas as the food grown in Ecuador would not meet the demands of European style foods for the tourists. All the new facilities, for example, airports and other transport services would not benefit the native people as they could not afford to use them. The borrowed money from overseas would increase the country's national debt which would not help the overall economy. Tourists expect unlimited water supplies into hotels and attractions. Their supply is ten times greater than the local people's demand. This could cause water shortages for local people's domestic and farmland use. If farmers do not have enough water to grow their crops, they could lose their entire harvest for the year which can have devastating effects. Local cultures and traditions can be destroyed by the new problems that are only due to tourism for example crime, prostitution and drugs. This is because they have never before had any contact from the western world. Tourists do not have any respect for the local people's customs and beliefs by walking into mosques and temples inappropriately dressed. The building of hotels, airports and other facilities means local people lose their homes, land and traditional means of livelihood. For example fishermen are no longer able to fish, because overseas companies have closed off parts of the beach and sea to only allow their hotel customers to use it. There can also be many risks in commercial tourism. Commercial tourism can be greatly affected by political events such as terrorism. Tourism trends can change. Places where tourists used to go can become unwanted travel destinations, leaving many people unemployed. People are unemployed, as businesses have failed as there are not any customers. This can have a great effect on a country's economic structure. The people who would be in favour of this type of tourism would be overseas companies who want to invest in LEDCs. The land in LEDCs is very cheap so it would not cost companies that much to build hotels. These companies could then discriminate employees by paying them a very low wage and charging tourists a lot to stay in them. They also know that there is a large willing workforce to use and would be able to take advantage of this. Overseas tour operators would prefer commercial tourism as it attracts many more tourists. Tour operators would make more money from selling commercial holidays rather than eco holidays. Local businesses would also like commercial tourism as it brings more customers, along with good transport links such as, roads, trains and airports. This also opens up the rest of the world to businesses who want to export goods internationally. Local farmers may also be in favour of commercial tourism as it opens up a large market to sell their produce. The people who would be opposed to this tourism would be local native people who would not want airports, roads and other facilities to ruin their culture and natural way of life. Commercial tourism creates a lot of jobs, but most of the profits go out of the country to large companies who own the hotels and other facilities. Their natural ways of life would be taken away by the invasion of foreign cultures and traditions. Local people who sell souvenirs would not like commercial tourism as this would bring in mass produced cheap souvenirs crushing the local people's businesses. Foreign companies would have more money to set up shops unlike local people attracting more customers. A lot of the money earned from commercial tourism would leave the country for large foreign companies and does not benefit everyone. People's cultures and traditions are ruined, and with that their jobs and lives. Below are some quotes from people who have been employed and disrupted by commercial tourism. â€Å"Commercial tourism has been in Napo for a long time but it's benefited only the tour companies and not us. It also brought crime into the area† â€Å"Commercial guides brought tourists to our villages and paid us hardly anything, not even enough for a bus fare to Tena. The tourists walked around our villages, into houses, and took photos without asking† â€Å"We want to continue existing according to our own culture and alongside our natural mother, the jungle† Ecotourism Ecotourism is a responsible type of travel to natural areas which conserves the environment and improves the welfare of the local people Ecotourism is a way of travelling while improving the welfare of the local people. This means that in ecotourism areas, there are not any hotels or airports that ruin the landscape. People stay in the same facilities as the local people. This means there is not air or noise pollution. All the income made by this type of tourism stays in the country with the local people helping towards schooling, clean water and healthcare. No money leaves the country to go to large overseas companies. Local craft industries can grow as there are not any large companies mass producing cheap souvenirs. People will pay for the time and effort that a local person has put into making that souvenir. No land is taken over for development of hotels and airports so farmland is not lost. No food is imported from abroad as all the food eaten by the tourists is locally grown. Ecotourism costs a lot less than commercial tourism so it does not increase national debt. Local cultures and traditions are not destroyed as local people are allowed to carry on living normally. The type of people going on eco holidays are not the same people who go on commercial holidays. This means that in eco areas, they will not get any drug abuse, prostitution or crime. The people who go on eco holidays respect the local people's ways of life, try and help the local people and will not try and get in their way. Farmers and people do not lose their land or houses to ecotourism or their traditional way of life as there are not any large companies taking over parts of land or beaches for foreign use only. The local people let tourists into their way of life instead of adapting to foreign ways. Also the local people and the environment is respected and cared for in ecotourism unlike commercial tourism. The disadvantages of ecotourism are that a lot less money is made from ecotourism than commercial tourism. As a lot less people go on eco holidays the countries get less money, but all the money is going straight to the local people instead of out of the country. Ecotourism does not create as much employment as commercial tourism as it is not on a large scale. It is based around the local people and not always for the tourist's benefit. Due to this there are not any attractions or many facilities which in commercial tourism would create a lot of jobs. The people who would be in favour for ecotourism are the Quichua people in Napo who would not want commercial tourism in their area. Here is a quote from the Quichua people about ecotourism: â€Å"Our way of life, traditions and culture are being preserved. Some people who left our village to find work are now returning to work in ecotourism. Our community is becoming stronger† They would not want commercial tourism as the hotels, airports, roads and other facilities would spoil the natural environment and ruin their cultures and natural ways of life. They would prefer ecotourism which would invite tourists into the area, generating money for the country without spoiling the natural environment or disturbing their native way of life. The Quichua people earn a living from making souvenirs and farming. With commercial tourism, their farmland would be taken away and their souvenir industries ruined. All the money created would stay in the country and be used directly to improve their way of life. Below are some quotes from people who have been employed and benefited from ecotourism. â€Å"We work as guides and decide who we invite to our village. We grow food and make handicraft to sell to the tourists† â€Å"The profits we earn from ecotourism are invested to improve our community, by building schools and a health centre for our children† â€Å"Now we can make a living preserving the forest and not destroying it† The people who would not be in favour of ecotourism are companies and businesses in Napo and Ecuador. Companies and businesses in Napo would prefer commercial tourism as it brings in more customers. Ecotourism has a lot less tourists entering the country which would not benefit them. Commercial tourism also brings good transport links such as airports, roads and trains unlike ecotourism. These transport links would create international customers, expanding the business and recovering Ecuador's debt. Ecotourism limits companies expanding by the low number of tourists and transport links. Local hunters and loggers in Napo may also be against ecotourism. This is because ecotourism enforces many rules on local people, preventing any more destruction of the rainforest. Hunters and loggers could be out of work and find it very hard to earn a living as they are unskilled in others areas of employment. Conclusion I have looked at Commercial Tourism and Ecotourism for possible tourism solutions in Napo on behalf of the Quichua people. Both have advantages and disadvantages but in my opinion the most important factors are preserving the Quichua culture and traditions, keeping the Quichua people happy. The advantages of ecotourism are, it protects the people's traditions and native ways of life, it helps the local people instead of using them, it creates money directly for the native people and is a more respective and friendly type of tourism. Although there are some advantages to Commercial tourism such as more customers, more money and more overseas investment, these things can sometimes be a disadvantage to the native people. Overall I would choose ecotourism for the Napo region as this type of tourism fills the needs of the Quichua people. I would also choose this type of tourism for LEDCs similar to Ecuador.

Optical Character Recognition for Kids Learning Essay

Education is the learning and development which results from this process of teaching or training. It is the academic discipline dealing with teaching and learning methods in the schools. Learning starts at home and the parents are their first teachers to their kids. When they are about 4 to 6 years of age, parents are starting to bring their children at school where they are able to learn not only the basic skills such as reading and writing but also to develop simple logic and abstract ideas like numbers, shapes, colors, time and many more. Yet, learning first how to write is by far the most important lesson of all and is the priority of all those people who are teaching childhood education. Writing is a skill that is used in all academic coursework as well as through a person’s professional and personal life. Children learn about reading and writing by thinking about the sounds that words make and what those words look like when written out. When children are eager to learn something, they want to explore it themselves. Nowadays, children’s potentials are determined by their ability to learn the basics of writing and reading at their very early age (Patterson C (2008). Child Development. New York: McGraw-Hill. ). In today’s complicated world, the continuing advancing of technology has opened many doors when it comes to education. Technology has become an influential factor when it comes to education. This gives students the opportunity to choose what they are interested in learning. Computers have started to make a huge impact in our lives and begun to show up not only in only offices and households, but also in classrooms, as they have become cheaper, more powerful, and easier to use. There have been many software applications developed for the purpose of education and for use in the classroom. Computers and mobile phones are used in developed countries both to complement established education practices and develop new ways of learning such as the concept of E-learning. It is the unifying term to describe the fields of online learning, web-based training, and technology-delivered instruction. By adding interactivity to teaching, Not only wo uld the children will be able to see what is involved, but he or she would be able to learn from hands on experience. Computers can be a very effective way of accomplishing this. The use of computers in Elementary schools is basically vision as teaching and learning aid besides develop computer literacy amongst the children. Computer Aided Instruction will help us to make the present teaching learning process joyful, interesting and easy to understand through audio-visual aids. Teachers will be resourced with Multimedia Contents to explain topic better. Overall it will help us to improve quality of education in long term. In this study, the proponents develop software that will be an aid for teaching children how to write by using stylus and be able to write on the touch screen monitor of the computer. A stylus is a pen-shaped instrument that is used to draw images, select from menus and write characters which come with different devices that contain touch screens. The following are some of the reasons the proponents have develop such software: (1)Time constraints. Considering it applied in classes, children are pressured in terms of completing a given handwriting task which affects their performance. (2)Level of activities. Occasionally, activities that are held in classes may be inappropriate when it comes to the capabilities of the students. (3)Limited school activities. Children are only provided limited amount of activities in school to learn a specific area in school particularly handwriting. (4)Assessment procedure. Usually, it takes time for the instructor to evaluate the handwriting activities that they are providing for the kids. The basic handwriting software for kids will show certain gif format containing simple steps on how to write the letters and audio sounds to identify what letter should be written. Children can trace uppercase and lowercase letters using the stylus and will be evaluated afterwards in a friendly manner. The program will also contain a different order of teaching a child to write the alphabet and works can be saved. The program has a quiz section that assesses the learning of the child without the aided instruction of gif format. To help children to construct correct handwriting, there would seem to be a case for the use of ruled writing spaces and assist them to follow the proper procedure of writing a specific character and obtain precise strokes. There would also a field references or guidelines for line and cursive character in the every letter of alphabet. Error messages, if used, need to be in a simple English language that the children can easily understand. A different level of practicing is considered to be sure that children will be able to take hold of the writing technique through gif images that shows how characters should be constructed properly. An erase function will also be available as a feature for the children to make them avoid discouragement from scribbling out and overwriting. The children should see at the screen the characters they intend to write and see the results produced after the program recognizes it and be able to see the evaluation of their performance afterwards. Children should be able to understand what was happening effectively. There will be a comment or message alert for every wrong input of the children. The group will use an Optical Character Recognition (OCR) which is a subsystem for pattern recognition. Character recognition identifies the input handwriting and translates it into a machine language or the ASCII. With OCR, the software could identify and evaluate the child’s handwriting performance. When the child inputs the character the OCR will read and identifies whether the character is valid. If the character is valid the evaluation will takes place and calculate the handwriting performance of the children. There will be a set of points within a specific character that has a corresponding score. Children will be evaluated according to the use of Back Propagation algorithm. Back Propagation algorithm will trace the input characters and get the error percentage. A deduction will be conducted to the total score of the user if he fails to follow the designated ordinates. Scores will be evaluated and will be shown as follows; Very Good, Good and Fair. The software that will be implemented will serve as a teaching tool in developing handwriting skills of kids ages 6 and below only which can be used by pre-school teachers and parents as well. It is only an alternative way of teaching basic handwriting rather than the traditional way of learning. The validity of the software can be tested by parents, homeschoolers and teachers who have acquired the skills and knowledge in teaching the traditional process especially those teachers in nurseries and kindergarten. Chapter II Review of Related Literature Children’s Early Age Children ages 4-5-6 need some attention and care and parents must be able to identify the interest of the child and what they are capable of. In this stage they will be responsible but they still need assistance. They can do simple things on their own like wearing clothes, tying their shoes, brushing their teeth and others. In this stage of development they have their own specific interests like playing blocks, dawdling and others. Play with other children who need what she needs and like what she likes, who understand her because they are the same age, becomes very important to most children. By the age of 4-5 children can now accept the social interaction with other children. (Irma Simonton Black, Children from 4-5-6) There are other activities in this early age that are very short tempered to parents like dawdling but according to Black â€Å"Dawdling may be a child’s indirect way of asking for help, of asking for the warmth and quick affection of his babyhood†. If the child needs parent’s help they must give them a full hand but remember that there are some help that can be done by the child like putting and tying their shoes. The role of a parent is to be helpful, sympathetic and patient. Parents must also praise for the things that the child accomplish rather than disapproval of the things the he/ she did not do. Children are very easy to learn but they must need guidance and care. ThE-learning capabilities of children need time and patience. (Ruth Mason 2000) Schoolchild Development The E-learning capabilities of this early stage is different they can develop a sense of logic and often sticks with a problem until he/she has solved it. They can gain a sense of satisfaction from tackling simple number problems. These new ability gives confidence in developing and expressing on their own point of view. They can also grasp more abstract ideas, like numbers, time and distance. During this time the brain undergoes its most dramatic growth, and children rapidly develop the cognitive capacity that enables them to become intellectually curious and creative thinkers. In this child development they can now focus on their interest like reading books on related subject that are taught in the school. They can now express their point of view and reasoning. (Graham, Rob and Hess, Heidi) There are also circumstances that hinder child’s development and this is thE-learning Disability this causes a person to have troublE-learning and using certain skills. The skills most often affected are: reading, writing, listening, speaking, reasoning, and doing math. â€Å"Learning disabilities (LD) vary from person to person. One person with LD may not have the same kind of learning problems as another person with LD† according to National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities. Learning Disability is not a sickness but this situation are caused by the different approach of processing the brain. Learning Disability does not include visual, hearing and motor disability and also mental retardation. There are no concrete sign of having learning disability but by observing them you can actually identify and these signs are helpful: †¢ may have troublE-learning the alphabet, rhyming words, or connecting letters to their sounds; †¢ may make many mistakes when reading aloud, and repeat and pause often; †¢ may not understand what he or she reads; †¢ may have real trouble with spelling; †¢ may have very messy handwriting or hold a pencil awkwardly; †¢ may learn language late and have a limited vocabulary; †¢ may have trouble understanding jokes, comic strips, and sarcasm; †¢ may have trouble following directions; †¢ may mispronounce words or use a wrong word that sounds similar; And to help children with this disability parents must identify the strengths of their child. The parents must praise the good things about their child with this disability .And for teachers they can help their child with such disability by: †¢ breaking tasks into smaller steps, and giving directions verbally and in writing; †¢ giving the student more time to finish schoolwork or take tests; †¢ letting the student with reading problems use textbooks-on-tape (available through Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic, listed under Organizations); †¢ letting the student with listening difficulties borrow notes from a classmate or use a tape recorder; and †¢ letting the student with writing difficulties use a computer with specialized software that spell checks, grammar checks, or recognizes speech. (National Dissemination for Learning Disability) Children’s School Level This is often categorized in pre-school and kindergarten levels. Pre-school is the preparation ground for children, this shows how kids will they be when they are 7 because of different aspects. In this level of education children only go to school for an hour which includes playing and 20-30 minutes of listening. The schools strategize a three days per week at an academic program and two days per week at a play-based school, hoping to achieve the best of both worlds. Preschool are very egocentric which they believe everyone sees the world as they sees it. They still don’t know what is the cause and effect and they give a process that is not logical and complex. They also focus on one event and ignore the other. According to Martha E. Mock â€Å"Young children learn best through meaningful interaction with real materials and caring adults and their peers, not through the drilling of isolated skills†. Preschool approach is commonly a play-based program to enjoy child academically and socially. After they excel in preschool year they can now step to kindergarten where they can formally in different approach. (Laura Davy, 2007) Kindergarten is being called nowadays as a new first grade of education. But be sure that your child is ready for kindergarten and there are signs to identify that are being analyzed by parents. This checklist are created by the National Center Disabilities Inc,. The purpose of kindergarten is to show the child the good feelings about learning and school. This is the building block for stepping in first grade. The curriculum starts by building familiarity with a wide number of aspects of the written and spoken word. In kindergarten the general trend of teaching is basic literacy and writing t hat is covered for first grader. The students taught a basic curriculum in all subjects, including science, social studies, and arts; but the most important academic topics will be literacy, handwriting exercise and math, which underlie everything else to come. Handwriting and dawdling is the common tool for expressing children’s idea and taught. (Julie Williams, 2007) Handwriting Handwriting is the first education that is needed for children. This is important because research shows that when children are taught how to do it, they are also being taught how to learn and how to express themselves. Handwriting is the best way to express children’s idea and feelings to their loved ones and friends. Emily Knapton, director of program development at Handwriting without Tears, believes that â€Å"when kids struggle with handwriting, it filters into all their academics. Spelling becomes a problem; math becomes a problem because they reverse their numbers. All of these subjects would be much easier for these kids to learn if handwriting was an automatic process†. In the research led by the professor of Venderbilt University, Steve Graham he found out that teachers believe that students with fluent handwriting produced written assignments that were superior in quantity and quality and resulted in higher grades aside from being easier to read. Evidence is growing that handwriting fluency is a fundamental building block of learning. It should be exciting and an enjoyable activity through which children can experience success. If we stop teaching penmanship, it will not only hasten the dreaded day when brides acknowledge wedding gifts by e-mail; the bigger danger is, they’ll be composed even more poorly than they already are. According to Baggett, changing a child’s handwriting can improve their grades, their behaviour, and their self-esteem. (Raina Kelley, 2007) Process of Teaching Handwriting In teaching the children the best way is to write their name first. Begin with lower case letters, rather than capital letters. This mechanism will help the child when first encountering reading and writing because lower case letters are commonly seen in the books. (Shirley Erwee et.al) The time span in teaching is between 20-30 minutes to avoid boredom. If the parents teach the child to write in large interval of time they will lost their interest. Their eyes are not that fully developed so they have no focus on every book or page like adults. This technique will avoid child’s eye strain and the limit is 15-20 minutes. Encourage the child in continuing handwriting practices and praise the work of the children. Do not compare the work of the child to the other children because they have a process in developing this talent. (Sandhya S. Naidu) 1. OVERSEE HANDWRITING PRACTICE When children are practicing handwriting it is very important that you oversee their work so that they do not develop bad habits. Take over some inappropriate letters so that they will not rooted to it. 2. ONE OBJECTIVE AT A TIME Focus on correcting or improving one objective at a time – be it a particular letter, spacing, size, alignment, etc. 3. PRACTICE DAILY Handwriting practice should be scheduled every day but keep lessons short for best results. 4. CORRECT PENCIL GRIP Correct pencil grip allows a writer to write quickly and smoothly, while a tight or awkward grip can hinder writing. 5. PROPER POSTURE Be sure that your child is sitting properly at a surface that is not too high. Her arms should rest comfortably and her feet should be supported (by the floor or a box), rather than hanging loosely. This is to avoid fatigue and bad habits which may develop as a result of improper posture. Monitor your child’s posture regularly. 6. BE PATIENT Improvement in handwriting requires a combination of skills and developmental maturity. Each child will progress at her own rate. Remember that fine motor skills develop more slowly in boys, than gross motor skills. 7. KEEP HANDWRITING SEPARATE Keep handwriting practice or copy work separate from composition and other writing tasks, which require attention to other skills such as focus on content, organizing ideas, editing, spelling, punctuation etc. so that students will not be reluctant to write. Assessing Child Handwriting According to Occupational Therapy Handwriting Resources in assessing child’s handwriting there must be clinical observation skills. There are different clinical observation skills and uses according to purpose. The child’s proper grip in pen or pencil is important because improper grip can cause fatigue and joint problems. The proper grip is the normal dynamic tripod give where the thumb is placed at the side of the pencil and the index finger is placed on the top of the pencil. The pencil is stabilized on the side of the middle finger. This position allows for needed stability and mobility. Improper grip can cause: – lead to joint problem and early fatigue in written assignments – tightness or pain in the thumb web spaces (Occupational Therapy Handwriting Resources) The Evaluation Tool for Children’s Handwriting (ETCH) is an assessment that ensures the legibility in word, letter and numeral percentage, as well as letters per minute. Pencil control, near and far point copying, manuscript to cursive translation, dictation and sentence completion are included. The Bruininks Oserteksy Test of Fine Motor Proficiency assesses motor proficiency of students without disabilities, as well as those with serious motor dysfunctions and developmental difficulties. It is administered to children from ages 4 years 6 months to 14 years 6 months. Occupational Therapist typically administer only the fine motor development subtests which include: – response speed – visual-motor control – upper-limb speed and dexterity The Peabody Developmental Motor Scales is composed of six subtests that measure inter related motor abilities that develop early in life. It assesses the motor skills of children from birth through 5 years of age. Occupational Therapist typically administers the grasping and visual motor subset. (Occupational Therapy Handwriting Resources) The assessment for teachers is based on the books and criteria. Teachers tend to teach children according to books instruction. The child needs some patience and virtue to achieve a good handwriting skill. This skill can visualize the children’s future and development. Handwriting as a Symbol of Success There are also instances that penmanship and handwriting predicts success according to Bart Baggett. They also identify the handwriting of Michael J. Fox , Martin Luther King and Oprah Winfrey which shows success. Baggetts identify the seven personality traits according to stroke that are common to successful people. – High Goals and Ambition (t-bars crossed on the top of the stem) – Strong self-esteem (Large signature and high crossed t-bars) – Determination (heavy downstrokes below the baseline) – Persistence (not picking up your pen when you cross the letter t) – Strong Physical Drives (large and heavy y and g loops) – Long Lasting Enduring Emotions (pressing very hard on the paper) – Enthusiasm (extra long strokes to make the crossing of your t) Handwriting is an important task to learn by the child and need some proper interaction to their instructor or teacher and also parents. (Yenra, 2007) Interaction for Teacher The quality of interactions between teachers and children plays a key role in accounting for gains in children’s development when compared to typical quality indicators such as teachers’ education, class size, and child-to-teacher ratio. High-quality instructional interactions happened when teachers provided children with feedback on their ideas, commented in ways that extended and expanded their skills, and frequently used discussions and activities to promote complex thinking. Teachers by doing this teacher-child interaction the children can improve or develop good cognitive, socio-emotional and language skills. Interaction could help children understand the knowledge he/she wants to gain, like media that are so interactive nowadays. The size and number of the students is not the basis for thE-learning of the child but the interaction of the teacher’s to them. A child learns a large amount of knowledge with the help of the emotional interaction. (Physorg, 2008) Children’s Interact Emotionally In early stage children does not only learn social skills and language but they also learn the act of sensitivity and emotion. Having a social interaction helps child to develop their logic and sense of reasoning. With this emotional interaction they can decrease their fear in reasoning out or expressing their emotion. Interaction benefits every child very much, because they not only get one on one time to talk to their teacher but they also produce positive relationships between teachers and students. Teachers by doing this teacher-child interaction the children can improve or develop good cognitive, socio-emotional and language skills. There are also materials that are very interactive to children and they could gain knowledge with this interaction. Technologies nowadays are very interactive to child which helps them to learn more. (Killi, 2008) Technology According to studies and researches more and more kids are applying technology to their lifestyle like playing video games, using computer and watching TV. According to parents using media and technology children helps to learn while entertained. Today’s children might use their brain differently than the kids in previous generation this is according to UCLA professor, Patricia Greenfield. Patricia Greenfield found out that TV, Media and video games does not limit the mind of the children but they also help them in other ways. In a concrete result they found out that surgeon who has a skilled in video games can be better in keyhole surgery. The use of technology can have a great effect of schools. With an increased emphasis on more teacher discretion over teaching and learning in the classroom has a potential to increase. Technology can also be integrated into the class through the use of software. Technology allows the student to comprehend the subject matter at hand easier. The children nowadays are better than their ancestor when it comes to multitasking as a result in complex visual information that they deal with. The school, learning institute and parents must understand this study and apply to their learning techniques according to the UCLA professor. (Patricia Greenfield 2005) Technological Adaptability in Education Many different types of technology can be used to support and enhance learning. Everything from video content and digital moviemaking to laptop computing and handheld technologies (Marshall, 2002) have been used in classrooms, and new uses of technology such as podcasting are constantly emerging. Various technologies deliver different kinds of content and serve different purposes in the classroom. For example, word processing and e-mail promote communication skills; database and spreadsheet programs promote organizational skills; and modeling software promotes the understanding of science and math concepts. It is important to consider how these electronic technologies differ and what characteristics make them important as vehicles for education (Becker, 1994). Each technology is likely to play a different role in students’ learning. Rather than trying to describe the impact of all technologies as if they were the same, researchers need to think about what kind of technologies are being used in the classroom and for what purposes. Two general distinctions can be made. Students can learn â€Å"from† computers—where technology used essentially as tutors and serves to increase students basic skills and knowledge; and can learn â€Å"with† computers—where technology is used a tool that can be applied to a variety of goals in the learning process and can serve as a resource to help develop higher order thinking, creativity and research skills (Reeves, 1998; Ringstaff & Kelley, 2002). The primary form of student learning â€Å"from† computers is what Murphy, Penuel, Means, Korbak and Whaley (2001) describe as discrete educational software (DES) programs, such as integrated learning systems (ILS), computer-assisted instruction (CAI), and computer-based instruction (CBI). These software applications are also among the most widely available applications of educational technology in schools today, along with word-processing software, and have existed in classrooms for more than 20 year s (Becker, Ravitz, & Wong, 1999). While DES remains the most commonly used approach to computer use in student learning, in more recent years, use of computers in schools has grown more diversified as educators recognize the potential of learning â€Å"with† technology as a means for enhancing students’ reasoning and problem-solving abilities. In part, this shift has been driven by the plethora of new information and communication devices now increasingly available to students in school and at home, each of which offers new affordances to teachers and students alike for improving student achievement and for meeting the demand for 21st century skills describe earlier. No longer limited to school labs, school hours and specific devices, technology access is increasingly centered on the learner experience. Bruce and Levin (1997), for example, look at ways in which the tools, techniques, and applications of technology can support integrated, inquiry-based learning to â€Å"engage children in exploring, thinking, reading, writing, researching, inventing, problem-solving, and experiencing the world.

Transformative Theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Transformative Theory - Essay Example The learning theory discussed is the transformative theory, which explains learning as a personal generation of knowledge and intelligence. The theory asserts that each person has some level of individual intelligence, which aids him or her in the learning process. Therefore, the theory focuses on an inner part of us that gives us understanding of different issues. Transformative theory also states that individuals tend to have different goals as they grow up and understand themselves (Nock,  1999).Therefore, the study of self is categorized as a stage of the learning process of an individual. With time, a person gets to know the kinds of things that interest him or her, and the kinds of choices that he or she needs to make in life. The theory also believes that learning will occur differently for different individuals. This implies that, individuals tend to be affected by different atmospheres in which they learn. The theory assumes that learning should be characterized by self-mo tivation and belief in oneself. Therefore, according to this theory, it is upon the learners to decide and direct their own learning. They need to understand and motivate themselves in the learning process through their thoughts and insights. A person’s thoughts can shape his or her understanding greatly since they might be negative or positive. For instance, if an individual develops negative understanding towards a particular subject, this will greatly affect his or her capacity to understand the subject clearly.   In this discussion, the transformative theory will be appropriate in assessing learners’ attitudes towards the issue of self-care with diabetes. This is because; learners’ interest in the subject will determine their understanding significantly. In addition, according to the theory, learners should have some knowledge about the subject before being taught (Learning Theories.com, 2013). Therefore, teaching the subject should act as giving additiona l knowledge to the learners. Description of the Learners The learners that I will choose are patients suffering from diabetes. These are individuals who have already dealt with the subject matter previously. In addition, the subject affects the learners directly and thus, effective understanding will be required in order to ensure that the learners benefit from the teaching. To ensure full attention from the learners, the teaching will have to be resourceful with new ideas, which are different from the ones that learners have encountered before. This way, learners will be more motivated to listen to the subject. Relationship between the theory and the Learners The above-discussed theory will be appropriate for the learners because; it will enable them to benefit more from the teaching. When the learners are taught while they are self-motivated, then they will obtain more knowledge from the study than if another theory that does not use self-motivation was being used. Therefore, the transformative theory will be the most appropriate for the learners because; the subject that is being discussed concerns the learners dir

Poems and Feelings Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Poems and Feelings - Essay Example A man can spend whole life among such hills and can never exhaust from them but every time he finds these scenes much more beautiful than before. The poet in the last line says: This point of view really collapses with my view because nature is the thing which God has filled with love and affection. The poem develops the feelings of love and admiration towards nature and the beauties it has created for us. Having read this poem â€Å"Lost sister† I realized the importance of moral values, culture and tradition. Here the poet describes two types of women. Both are brought up in same culture but one of them chooses her life to spend in her native culture but the second chooses American disrupt culture. In my opinion the well cultured and traditional women desire more respect and honor than the one who is running in the social race of life with man because cultural lady can be seen but cannot be heard. On the other hand, the other women prefer freedom over respect. This poem enhances my inclination towards the traditional and cultural ladies, who spend their whole lives for the sake of family. In the poem invisible mending, the poetess describes about three old ladies. She exclaimed that they always remained busy in their work, in spite of being so much old. Their hands become hard, eyes become keen but they still work hard untiringly. According to the poetess: This poem has increased the regard in my heart for old people to whom we do not give so much attention but actually they are experienced and learned people and can transfer all such knowledge of life in our personalities. This poem also develops my self esteem and courage to achieve my goals through hard work regardless of the difficulties. As I read the poem â€Å"A Blessing† written by James Wright, I feel that God perfects the nature by its creature. According to me love is gifted by nature and it is embedded in human heart. It is the love that penetrates into the

Science and Religion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Science and Religion - Essay Example In this point, it is evident that Plantinga is trying to create a view that science and religion can support each other in line with one consistent belief about God’s existence and his divine works. Plantinga has two remarkable major points. The first one is an assertion that God created humans in his own image and likeness. In this point, Plantinga strongly believes that God in any way is capable of creating humans with moral sense, and has the capacity to love him (American Philosophical Association Central Division Conference 2). He tries to argue that our contemporary view of evolutionary theory has been God’s major way of creating the modern humans we know today. Believing that God has the capacity to create everything in the world, Plantinga considers the evolutionary process as God’s major way of creating humans in the best possible option. This is evident from his opening statement in a conference. He stated that ‘God could have caused the right mut ations to arise at the right time’ (American Philosophical Association Central Division Conference 2). In this manner, God is able to save the best species he intends to proliferate in this world through an evolutionary process. Plantinga believes that this sounds consistent with theistic religion and the theory of evolution and his main stand is to point out how it is unfailing with Darwinism as well.

Mental Health Promotion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Mental Health Promotion - Essay Example Moreover, results achieved by exercising these activities have also been critically evaluated in the light of evidence-based supports. In order to ensure confidentiality the author has supposed the patient name as â€Å"Tomas†. The Data Protection Act (1998) states, â€Å"Nurses must protect patient’s privacy and Confidentiality.† The NHS Plan (2000) highlights that confidentiality must be ensured during a patient’s assessment. According to NMC (2008), ensuring a person’s confidentiality gives you respect. Mental health is the emotional resilience which enables us to enjoy life and to survive pain, disappointment and sadness. It is a positive sense of well-being and an underlying belief in out own dignity and worth (Health Education Authority, 2000). Mental Health Promotion has a wide range of health and social benefits including increased emotional resilience, improved physical health participation, higher productivity and greater social inclusion (Department of Health, 2001). Cattan and Tilford (2006) looked at mental health promotion as the process of enhancing the capacity of individuals to take control over their lives and improve their mental health. It uses strategies that foster supportive environments and individual resilience, while showing respect for equity, social justice, interconnections and personal dignity. Mental Health promotion is an umbrella term that covers a variety of strategies, all aiming at having a positive effect on mental health. Health is a state of complete mental, physical and social well-being, and not only the absence of disease or infirmity. The Department of health (2001) described mental well being as being influenced by many factors including genetic inheritance, childhood experiences, life events, individual ability to cope and levels of social support, as well as factors like adequate housing, employment, financial security and access to appropriate health care. Mann, et al (2004) consi dered the focus on self-esteem as the core element of mental health promotion and the fruitful basis for a broad spectrum approach. According to Department of health (2001) mental health promotion works as three levels relevant to the whole population. Individuals are strengthened through the promotion of self-esteem, life and coping skills for example, communicating and relationships. Communities are strengthened, through increasing social inclusion and participation, improving neighborhood environments, developing health and social services which support mental health. Standard one of the National Service Framework for mental health aims to ensure that health and social services promote mental health and reduce the discrimination and social exclusion associated with mental health problems (Barker 2003). According to the National Service Framework (NSF, 1999) standard one mental health promotion states that health and social services, should promote mental health for all, working w ith individuals and communities, The NSF was put into place to ensure quality and the standard of care throughout the service. NMC (2008) states that nurses have a duty to care and support people in caring for themselves to improve and promote their health. In order to deliver this care an understanding of mental health and mental health pro

International Trade and Poverty Reduction in Africa-An Evaluation Term Paper

International Trade and Poverty Reduction in Africa-An Evaluation - Term Paper Example Ng and Yeats (1996) showed that Sub Saharan Africa showed very poor performance in terms of global exports and the share of exports in world trade had been falling here since the 1950s. The authors argue the protectionist policies of the government here leading to the marginalization of the region from world trade and hence it remained non-competitive. The empirical analysis by the authors showed that the trade preferences of OECD provided a competitive advantage for Africa while the internal protectionist policies significantly contributed to the decline of the export performance here. The study hence demands the need for more liberalized trade policies in this region which are needed to reduce poverty in Sub Saharan Africa. Anderson et al showed that trade liberalization can result in poverty reduction in Sub Saharan Africa through increasing farm employment and output, the real value of agricultural and food exports, the real returns to farm land and unskilled labor, and real net farm incomes. It also results in increased income growth, which is greater than for other developing nations and developed nations as shown by the authors in spite of some terms of trade losses. Hence, the authors demanded the need for more trade openness in the region as a policy measure to reduce poverty. Similarly, Tuppy argued that in Sub Saharan Africa trade liberalization can produce welfare gains while this, in turn, will lead to reduced poverty only if there are drastic changes in the economic and political circumstances.

Slavery Was a Discriminative Vice That Affected the Blacks and Scots Research Paper

Slavery Was a Discriminative Vice That Affected the Blacks and Scots in England - Research Paper Example Even after the independence of the native countries, the slaves would still serve in the Britain industries. This is an evident trend across the majority of the western nations. The existence of these slaves brought subsequent generations that entailed racial and cultural diversity. This phenomenon has revealed trends of stereotypes and diversities amongst ethnic groups in society. Majority of the blacks still appear as slaves to the recent day3. Usherwood explores this trend in his article. He uses his legal expertise to advocate for the complete abolition of slavery in western nations. Slavery is a historical phenomenon that manifests intense persistence in modern society. Slave trade and immigration from Africa was an antique event4. However, its ramifications are still evident in the modern day. The trends of slavery have survived antiquity and infiltrated to the current society. This is due to the political perspective of slavery. Most nations viewed slavery as a positive featur e in society5. Therefore, policies would be implemented for the existence and advocacy of slavery. This would occur in the western governments due to their power over the colonial subjects. It would also occur in these nations due to the cheap labor6. These were major factors that posed a major difficulty in the abolishment of slavery. Therefore, slavery trends are still existent after the historical events of immigration and the slave trade. The initiation of the slavery abolition was evident in a court of law. Lord Chief Justice ordered for a release of slaves in England7. This would be a challenging process, but the legal system still pursued it. In this time, the legal system ordered all the slave owners to set them free and settle their compensations in harmony. This court order was not a congruent move with the majority of the slave masters in society.

Accounting Essay Example for Free

Accounting Essay Accounting is often referred to as the language of business, and rightly so, since it is the means by which information about an entity is communicated (Meigs, 2000). Contrary to popular belief, accounting is more than just doing taxes, or keeping books. Doing taxes is just one of the many tasks an accountant performs. Bookkeeping, the recording of transactions and day to day activities, is just the clerical aspect of accounting. Accounting is more concerned with the interpretation and use of the accounting information. As the new accountant of Claire’s Antiques, the fields of exposure would be in financial and managerial accounting. Financial accounting is a field of accounting which provides information about the financial resources, obligations, and activities of an enterprise that is intended for use primarily by external decision makers (Meigs, 2000). Such external users are those who have a financial interest in the entity, but are not involved in its day-to-day operations. These external users include the following: investors, creditors, labor unions, governmental agencies, suppliers, customers, trade associations and the general public (Meigs, 2000). See more:Â  Perseverance essay Financial accounting provides information about the company’s liquidity and solvency, which is of particular importance to creditors and suppliers as they need to know the entity’s capability to pay off its obligations. Investors would find financial information regarding the company’s viability useful, since they need to know whether it would be a wise investment. Since providing information to fit the different needs of the various stakeholders is difficult, financial reporting of such information is usually geared towards the needs of creditors and investors, the two primary groups. Another field of accounting is managerial accounting, which involves the development and interpretation of accounting information intended specifically to aid management in running the business (Meigs, 2000). Information produced helps managers in carrying out their responsibilities, which include planning, directing and motivating, and controlling (Garrison, 2000); it helps provide data necessary for developing strategies and managing the company’s operations. Managerial accounting makes use of means such as cost-volume-profit analysis, financial statement analysis and capital budgeting, to name a few, to produce such information. Managerial accounting will provide the information needed by the management of Claire’s Antiques to decide what is the optimum antique production mix and whether to implement the Just In Time inventory management system; it will also help the company to reach its goal to grow the business to other regions, increase its profit margin and expand its product distribution centers. Included within managerial accounting is performance measurement. Performance measurement is the quantification of a companys or segments efficiency or effectiveness in conducting business operations for the accounting period (Answers. com, 2008). This involves establishing budgets and/or goals of a company, and comparing the actual turnout with that established by the management. The budget established must always be realigned with the company’s goals, in order for the information to be truly useful. Performance measurement would prove useful to Claire’s Antiques in deciding their strategy on how the company can achieve its above mentioned goals. Performance measurement draws the management’s attention to areas in which the company has performed poorly, giving them a chance to find a solution to such inefficiency; it also indicates which areas the company has been doing well in. These pieces of information, taken collectively, will help the company in deciding which actions it will take to bring itself closer to its goals. As the new accountant of Claire’s Antiques, one would be engaged in both managerial and financial accounting, which means that one would be providing and interpreting financial information for both internal and external users, respectively. As an accountant in private practice, one can be a financial forecaster, a cost accountant or an internal auditor. These roles fall under the above mentioned fields. However, accountants in general are not limited to these fields. They may have career opportunities in public accounting, government accounting and accounting education as well.

Economics 247 Assignment 2 Version A Essay Example for Free

Economics 247 Assignment 2 Version A Essay Economics 247 Assignment 2 Version A This assignment has a maximum total of 100 marks and is worth 10% of your total grade for this course. You should complete it after completing your course work for Units 6 through 10. Answer each question clearly and concisely. 1. In perfect competition, one result of the model was that there were no economic profits in the long run. In a monopoly, the firm typically earns a positive economic profit. Why is there this difference? The lack of barriers to entry will allow competitors to enter the market unil economic profit is zero. These firms are price takers, and they cannot affect prices because their demand curve is horizontal.(4 marks) 2. Assume that a single firm in a pure competitive industry has a fixed cost of $6500 and variable costs as indicated in the table below. a. Calculate the TC, AFC, AVC, ATC, and MC columns for this firm. (5 marks) Total Output TVC TC AFC AVC ATC MC 00 0 600 70,000 1000 76000 1400 81000 1800 87000 2200 90000 2600 93000 2800 96000 3000 100000 3100 110000 b. Explain the concepts of economies and diseconomies of scale, and describe the underlying reasons why both occur. (4 marks) 3. At its current level of production, a profit-maximizing firm in a competitive market receives $12.50 for each unit it produces, and it faces an average total cost of $10. At the market price of $12.50 per unit, the firms marginal cost curve crosses the marginal revenue curve at an output level of 1000 units. What is the firms current profit? What is likely to occur in this market and why?(4 marks) P=12.5 TR=P*Q = 12.5 * 1000 = 12500 TC=ATC*Q = 10 * 1000 = 10000 Profit=TR-TC = 12500 10000 = +2500 Profit is positive, but for perfectly competitive markets there will be no profits at all in the long-run, so in this markets new firms will enter  market attracted by profits thus increasing market supply and reducing equilibrium price till it reaches close to P=$10, consequently leading to zero economic profits in long-run. For lower price this firm will be pressed to reduce output a bit for new P=MR=MC equilibrium. 4. a.Why would a firm in a perfectly competitive market always choose to set its price equal to the current market price? If a firm set its price below the current market price, what effect would this have on the market? (4 marks) The assumptions of perfect competition that matter here are that in perfect competition 1 every firm is so small compared to the market so as to have no effect on market price 2 everyone is aware of everybodys price. Now if you set a price lower than the market, you are only cutting your nose to spite your face since you would sell as much as a higher price. (Remember, how much you produce is determined by your MC and the output level you produce at is the minimum MC). Cutting the price to sell more also costs more to produce; you are worse off. If you set a price higher than market, noone will buy from you. Explain how a firm in a competitive market identifies the profit-maximizing level of production. When should the firm raise production, and when should the firm lower production? In a perfectly competitive market, all firms are assumed to be very small compared to the market. Now the price is set at the market level, and as a small firm you take it as given; you couldnt sell at a higher price since nobody would buy from you. Now in the long run, you should be at the minimum point of your cost curve, ensuring you make just normal profits. The price is your MR and at the minimum point of your AC curve your MC cuts it: MC=MR and AC=AR. If the market price is higher than this, new entrants will sniff the opportunity created by super normal profits and the market supply curve shifts right/up, reducing price until there are no more super ormal profits  to be earned. If market price is lower, then firms are making losses, some exit and supply curve shifts left driving price up. In equilibrium, each firm is producing at the minmum point of the AC, where MC=MR=P. Hence the firm temporarily raises production when Pmin AC and makes supernormal profits until new entrants drive price back down; or lowers production temporarily when P