Effectiveness of Working Individually Essay

Abstract This purpose of this mathematics classroom-based research study is to answer the following question: Will allowing students to work in groups improve their understanding, or will working individually lead to greater understanding? I have been at a crossroads trying to determine if and when to allow students to work together or to make them work alone because students do not always manage the social aspects of group work so that it will be advantageous to them. Half of the class was instructed that they would complete their work by working in groups; the other half of the class would complete their work by themselves. I compared students’ pretest results to their post-test results. In both categories there was not much change in understanding from the beginning of the unit to the end of the unit, making it difficult to conclude which student category showed better improvements in understanding. Finally, conclusions about further research are discussed. Effectiveness of Cooperative Learning 3 Background This study investigates students’ understandings about mathematics. The purpose of the research is to answer the following question: Will allowing students to work in groups improve their understanding, or will working individually lead to greater understanding? This idea of group dynamics has been studied and researched, but in my experience, I have had mixed results. In some situations, students help each other, their time is spent on task and they benefit from peer interactions. At other times, students spend their time chatting about  things that are not relevant to the topic at hand, and do not get much work done at all. When students in my class do their work independently, most students tend to complete their work, or they will come ask for help if they cannot continue. I have been at a crossroads trying to determine if and when to allow students to work together or to make them work alone because students do not always manage the social aspects of group work so that it will be advantageous to them. I know why group work is not always a positive experience in my classroom. A major element that must be considered is the difficulty of the work that students are expected to complete. Often times, it may be too difficult for students to complete without guidance from the teacher, leading to group and individual frustration. This is a realistic concern despite the fact this mathematics program is mandated by our district for all students at this grade level. Students are expected to complete the coursework with a certain level of independence and success, however, this issue is debatable, as many educators who teach this mathematics program readily express that they dislike it and/or that their students have difficulty doing the work alone. Another valid concern that can affect group work is management of student behavior. Making students stay focused can be better maintained in my classroom if there was more structure and guidelines about the norms and expectations of group work from the onset of the school year as well as continuous monitoring of group dynamics and progress. The participants in this study are from one of the 7th grade math class that I teach. The study was conducted during the 75-minute math periods. There are 28 students, and I am the only teacher in the class. The classroom has 5 large tables where up to six students can sit. Most often, there are usually four or five people at a table and the other students will sit at other places around the perimeter of the room. For example, students will sit at the computer table, two smaller tables, and on a rug. The seating arrangement is important to this study since they were Effectiveness of Cooperative Learning 4 assigned to work independently, and would need to sit alone, and others worked in groups and sat at the large tables. All classes in the school are organized by our school’s principal with the intention to have the students as equally balanced as possible,  considering race, gender, academic achievement, and behavior as the criterion. The socio-economic status of the school is mainly middle class; about 30% of the school qualifies for a free or reduced lunch. The tables and graphs below show the number and percentage of students in each category. Literature Review There is an abundance of research regarding grouping of students as an educational practice. Grouping can be classified into two major types: homogenous- or heterogeneous-ability groups. In either situation, students can work independently or cooperatively. There have been many studies regarding each of these areas that favor heterogeneous-ability groups and cooperative learning groups. Homogenous grouping, or â€Å"tracking†, has been widely used in America’s educational history, and continues to be used today, but studies show that this type of grouping does not benefit students any more than heterogeneous groups (Esposito, 1973; Mills, 1999; Slavin, 1993; Slavin & Karweit, 1985). Kulik’s (1992) analysis of the research noted that when positive gains are made, they should be attributed to adjustments in instruction and curriculum, not because of the grouping arrangement. When the top, middle and bottom groups use the same curriculum, Effectiveness of Cooperative Learning 6 despite their differing ability, there are no academic gains. When students are placed in homogenous classes, the â€Å"top† students show a slight drop in their confidence levels, while the â€Å"bottom† students show a slight increase. When classes used different curricula, there were some positive changes in achievement. The greatest increase noted is when students are put into enrichment or accelerated classes, mainly because of the additional resources and change in curricula offered. A variation of homogenous grouping by class is homogeneous semi-groups within a heterogeneous class. Slavin & Karweit (1985) cited that many researchers found that the latter has more positive academic results than traditional whole-class instruction. Cooperative learning has been a popular alternative method of grouping students instead of tracking. There is empirical evidence that cooperative learning is effective for students (Gokhale, 1995; Slavin, 1995; Yackel, Cobb & Wood, 1991) but Johnson and Johnson (as cited in Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory, 2005) find that, â€Å"the successful application of cooperative grouping in classrooms still eludes many educators.† Therefore, researchers continue to investigate this topic, specifically trying to identify the different variables that  make cooperative learning successful and effective (Cohen, 1994; Slavin, 1995; Yackel, Cobb & Wood, 1991). Without certain elements, cooperative learning is no more effective than traditional methods of instruction and learning (Cohen, 1994; Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory, 2005). One element that has been under research is the effectiveness of cooperative learning based on the type of task the group has to complete (C ohen, 1994). Many tasks can be done individually and do not really require cooperation for understanding. Other tasks, like those that are â€Å"ill-structured† and those where process is more important than outcome, should be used as cooperative learning tasks. Another element that can affect how beneficial cooperative learning can be is the type of interactions that occur between the group members. Cohen (1994) cited many studies that conclude that students’ discussions in groups are good indicators of the achievement that the group will have. In addition, the groups that ask specific questions while working proved to show more gains. Slavin (1995) identified other elements that make cooperative learning beneficial, and those elements are present because of certain theoretical perspectives. The â€Å"motivational perspective† includes group goals and awards as a cornerstone of cooperative learning. This  Effectiveness of Cooperative Learning 7 theory acknowledges that th e objective of group work is for individuals to achieve as a result of being a part of a group. Therefore, in practice, the group can only benefit when the individuals of the group are successful. External rewards are given to groups when the individuals in the group are successful. This is a key element in this theory, and empirical evidence shows that this is a key factor in the effectiveness of all group work. Cohen (1994) acknowledges a compromise of sorts, stating that extrinsic motivational tactics should be used under certain circumstances where group interaction is not enough, for example, when group work is not challenging and could be completed without the group. Other evidence shows that when carefully structured interactions are implemented then cooperative learning can be effective even if there are no extrinsic rewards (Slavin, 1995). Another perspective of cooperative learning labeled â€Å"social cohesion† is more rooted in the interpersonal influence that cooperative learning entails (Slavin, 1995). Under this lens,  an extrinsic reward for the group’s achievement is not necessary because it is believed that the interactions that occur within the group are rewarding enough. This theory is strong in establishing group norms and roles for the members of the group as to enhance group interactions. Slavin’s studies did not find any evidence to support that this perspective on group work produces higher academic gains than traditional instruction, unless it was combined with extrinsic rewards. Other perspectives are also identified that account for mental processing of information that takes place in a cooperative learning setting. The â€Å"developmental perspective† is based on Vygotsky’s and Piaget’s work (as cited in Slavin, 1995) believing that students learn when they interact with others, as long as they are within each other’s zone of proximal development. Large gaps in students’ ability within a group did not yield academic growth. These beliefs alone have not been shown to increase learning, but they do provide the rational behind why cooperative learning is effective. An extension of this belief is the â€Å"cognitive elaboration perspective† which is based on students either providing or listening to detailed explanations of content. O’Donnell & Dansereau and Webb (as cited in Slavin, 1995) found that students who provide elaborate explanations increase the most academically. Effectiveness of Cooperative Learning 8 Methodology The purpose of my research was to determine whether my students gain a better understanding of the mathematics content when they work in groups or when they work individually. I used pretests and posttests as the instrument to determine which situation would be more productive (see Appendix). Questions on the tests were selected from the Mathematics in Context series, which is the mathematics series that my school district has mandated that we use, and from the Philadelphia Math Benchmark, a bi-monthly citywide test. The assessment questions chosen aligned to the objectives and goals of the topic taught during the time frame of this study. They are open-ended questions in which students are told to provide an answer as well as an explanation. I normally use the assessments at the end of a section or unit of study. All participants had to give written parental consent to participate in the study. All students were requested to parti cipate in this study, therefore, before the research was conducted, forms were distributed to the students  (see Appendix). I verbally explained to them that I was a student at a university, and needed to use their work in a project that I had to complete for my courses. Their work would be used to help me determine what teaching strategies worked well. I informed them that their names and other personal information would not be used, just their answers from regular classroom tests and assignments. I went on to say that I needed their and their parents’ permission to use their work in my reports, and it was fine if they did not want to give their permission. If I did not have their permission to use their results, they still had to do all the assignments and assessments, except their answers would not be used in my reports. I asked the students to let their parents know what my intentions were, and for them to return their consent forms promptly. The study began at the same time as a new mathematics topic. I had never taught the math content before, but students had been exposed to the content in previous grades. Before I did any instruction, I administered a pretest with two open-ended questions (see Appendix). The students were advised that this was a test to see what they were able to do before I taught them anything, and that this would not count toward their grade. I also told them that at the end of the lessons, they would take another test to see if they had progressed (the post-test, see Appendix). Over the course of the lessons (which lasted about 2 weeks), I followed the Madeline Hunter model of lesson design. Each day the lesson was structured to include: standards, Effectiveness of Cooperative Learning 9 objectives, anticipatory set, teaching, guided practice, closure, and independent practice (Allen, 1998). It was during the â€Å"guided practice† portion of the lesson that half of the students either worked independently or in random groups (explained below). Half of the class was instructed that they would complete their work for this unit by working in groups; the other half of the class would complete their work by themselves. The students were randomly assigned to work either individually or in groups using Random Sequence Figure 1 – Random Sequence Generator Generator, a program that allows you to generate a random list of a sequence of numbers without repeating any numbers (Haahr, 1998). At the beginning of  the school year, each of my students was given a number (the number has no academic correlation) from 1 to 28 since there are 28 students in the class. The images show how the program lets you choose your sequence of numbers (Figures 1), and will then put those numbers in a random order (Figure 2); I chose from 1 to 28 to represent the 28 students in my class. The first 13 students to appear on the list were assigned to work individually; the other 15 students would work in groups of 3 Figure 2 – Random Sequence Generator List  for the duration of the unit. In cases of absence, groups would work as dyads. To eliminate any concerns about ability, gender,  social grouping, which are variables that were not included in this study, students who worked in groups were shifted daily into different groups throughout the duratio n of the lessons. I managed that by putting each of the 15 students’ numbers on slips of paper and pulling three students at a time to form groups for that day. Effectiveness of Cooperative Learning 10 At the end of the unit, students were given a post-test as a means to measure their progress. The post-test included the same two questions that were on the pretest and one additional open-ended question (see Appendix). All questions were chosen from the Mathematics in Context series and the Philadelphia Math Benchmark, as explained above. The objective was to determine what students could do before instruction on the pretest, and compare the results to those on the post-test. Findings Investigating if there is a difference in understanding when students work alone or if they work in groups naturally led to comparing students’ work. There were several comparisons that are made below, for example, pretest to post-tests, and individuals’ grades to groups’ grades. My expectations before I conducted any research were that most of the students would show some type of growth from the pretest to the post-test whether they worked individually or in groups. I anticipated that those students who worked in groups would be better able to explain their answers than students who worked alone. My conclusions about the cause of change in student understanding from the beginning of the unit to the end is  based on analyzing the change from the pre-test results to the post-test Figure 3 – Averages Effectiveness of Cooperative Learning 11 results (see Figure 3). The pretest had two questions, while the post-test repeated those same two questions plus one additional question. I compared the pretest results to the post-test results according to the averages for each question. It is difficult to conclude which student category showed better improvements in understanding because everyone started out with such high pretest averages. I expected much lower pretest scores so this was surprising and very much unexpected. In both categories, the students’ results for the first two questions show that there was not much change in understanding from the beginning of the unit to the end of the unit, although, those who worked in groups did show a slight increase in their understanding for question 1. Question #3 of the post-test reveals the most interesting and perhaps confusing results. This question was not included on the pretest. The average grade for those who worked individually is higher than those who worked in groups (see Figure 3), but neither category of students showed a proficient level of understanding. Again, this was surprising and unexpected. A closer look at this question reveals that students’ results varied whether they worked in groups or individually (see Figure 4). Neither group showed a strong tendency to score in any specific grading category. However, the students who worked individually did have a greater  Effectiveness of Cooperative Learning 12 percentage that got the question correct by showing and/or explaining their work, and therefore received an â€Å"advanced† grade. Furthermore, those who worked in groups had a higher percentage that got the question wrong, receiving a â€Å"below basic† grade. Based on this data, the st udents who worked individually did have a better understanding of how to solve this problem than those who worked in groups. Conclusions Based on the results of my research, it is difficult for me to  conclude whether having students work in groups or individually helped improve students’ understanding in my classroom. The data I collected did not show that there was a strong improvement in understanding for either group dynamic. One question did favor those who worked individually, but that conclusion cannot be extended to the other questions. There are a few statistical factors that caused my results to be inconclusive. The students’ pretest scores were high, showing that they understood those particular objectives before any instruction took place. In order for the data to show some type of conclusions, one or both of the following things would have had to happen. There would have to be growth from the pretest to the post-test, or the post-test results would have to consistently favor the group workers or the individual workers. My data did not do this. In retrospect there are several things that I would do differently. The first thing would be to vary the pretest and post-test questions. Gokhale (1995) did a similar research study and used different questions in order to prevent students from becoming â€Å"test-wise†. I would also extend the length of the study so that I could repeat the study over several units. I do not think that I had enough data to draw sound conclusions. Both of these changes would make me feel more comfortable and more confident about the results of this study; however they would not necessarily alter my findings. The research about cooperative learning offers suggestions that might yield different results. Research shows that my question about the effectiveness of cooperative learning needs to be modified to investigate whether certain factors of cooperative learning are effective. The research shows that certain elements can or cannot exist which will probably affect whether cooperative learning is working. Certain things like external rewards, group interactions, ability  Effectiveness of Cooperative Learning 13 levels within the group, group tasks, group structure and norms, and elaboration/explanation are influential variables that can be studied. Based on the research about cooperative learning and on my results from my study, I conclude that group work in my classroom is not beneficial to my students’ achievement. I am one of those educators that was eluded as to how to make cooperative learning work. My class falls into the category where group work is no more effective than traditional methods. I am not satisfied with this position, and many  teachers may be in this same situation. To further my practice, and perhaps other teachers’ as well, I would make adjustments to the way I structure cooperative learning in my classroom to include elements suggested from the current research. A good place to begin would be to analyze the theoretical perspectives suggested by Slavin (1995) to see what perspectives best match my own philosophy of teaching. I would then apply some of the fundamental elements that are associated with that belief and repeat my study. Instead of comparing individuals to students that worked in groups, I would investigate which elements of cooperative learning were more effective in my classroom. References Allen, T. (1998). Some basic lesson presentation elements. Retrieved January 2007, from Humboldt State University http://www.humboldt.edu/~tha1/hunter-eei.html Cohen, E. G. (1994). Restructuring the classroom: Conditions for productive small groups. Review of Educational Research. 64, 1-35. Retrieved January, 2007 from http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=00346543(198723)57%3A3%3C293%3AAGASAI%3E2.0.CO%3B2-5 Davidson, N., & Kroll, D.L. (1991). An overview of research on cooperative learning related to mathematics. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education. 22, 362-365. Retrieved January, 2007 from http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=00218251%28199111%2922%3A5%3C362%3AAOOROC%3E2.0.CO%3B2-P Esposito, D. (1973). Homogeneous and heterogeneous ability grouping: Principal findings and implications for evaluating and designing more effective educational environments. Review of Educational Research. 43, 163-179. Retrieved January, 2007 from http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=00346543(197321)43%3A2%3C163%3AHAHAGP%3E2.0.CO%3B2-%23 Gokhale, A.A. (1995). Collaborative learning enhances critical thinking. Journal of Technology Education, 7, No.1, Retrieved January 2007, from http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/JTE/v7n1/pdf/gokhale.pdf Haahr, M. (1998). Randomized sequences. Retrieved February 2007 from http://www.random.org/sform.html Effectiveness of Cooperative Learning 15 Kulik, J. A. (1992). An analysis of the research on ability grouping: Historical and contemporary perspectives. National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented, CT. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED350777). Retrieved January 2007, from http://edres.org/eric/ED350777.htm Mills, R. (1997). Grouping Students for Instruction in Middle Schools. ERIC Digest, Retrieved January 2007, from http://www.ericdigests.org/1999-1/grouping.html Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory, Portland, Oregon., (2005). Research based strategies: Cooperative grouping. Retrieved January 20, 2007, from Focus on Effectiveness Web site: http://www.netc.org/focus/strategies/coop.php Slavin, R. E. (1993). Ability grouping in the middle grades: Achievement effects and alternatives. The Elementary School Journal. 93, No. 5, 535-552. Retrieved January, 2007 from http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=00135984%28199305%2993%3A5%3C535%3AAGITMG%3E2.0.CO%3B2-O Slavin, R.E. (1995). Research on cooperative learning and achievement: What we know, what we need to know. Center for Research on the Education of Students Placed at Risk, Retrieved January 2007, from http://www.aegean.gr/culturaltec/c_karagiannidis/20032004/collaborative/slavin1996.pdf Slavin, R. E. , & Karweit, N. L. (1985). Effects of whole class, ability grouped, and individualized instruction on mathematics achievement. American Educational Research Journal. 22, No. 3, 351-367. Retrieved January, 2007 from http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=00028312%281985232%2922%3A3%3C351%3AEOWCAG%3E2.0.CO%3B2-K Wood, T. (1993). Chapter 2: Creating an Environment for learning mathematics: Social interaction perspective. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education. 6, 15-20. Retrieved January, Effectiveness of Cooperative Learning 16 2007 from http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=08839530%281993%296%3C15%3AC2CAEF%3E2.0.CO%3B2-A Yackel, E., Cobb, P., & Wood, T. (1991). Small-group interactions as a source of learning opportunities in second-grade mathematics. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education. 22, 390-408. Retrieved January, 2007 from http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=00218251%28199111%2922%3A5%3C390%3ASIAASO%3E2.0.CO%3B2-6&origin=JSTORpdf

Government Regulations

Analyzing Government RegulationsWith the economic system the manner it is the demand for human services has been greater than it has of all time been. Peoples unable to happen occupations are turning to authorities run plans like Temporary Aid to Needy Families ( TANF ) , every bit good as nutrient casts and Medicaid to assist them acquire through, and provide much needed pecuniary, medical and nutrient aid now that they can non supply that on their ain. For many, it is excessively late. The stateless population in Colorado Springs is steadily increasing. How is the authorities to cover with such demands in our State ‘s clip of demand?There are thoughts presented by legion single bureaus across America. One that stands out is Ideas for Policymakers and research workers in respect to the turning stateless state of affairs in America prepared by Michelle Wood and Jill Khadduri. Both adult females have researched homelessness and the conducive factors sing TANF and medicaid receiv ers countrywide and have tried to reply these inquiries ( Wood, & A ; Khadduri, Winter 2009 ) . O Does TANF ( Temporary Aid to Needy Families ) and Medicaid determine the hazard for homelessness?O Does TANF and Medicaid protect people from going homeless?o Do people sing homelessness usage TANF and Medicaid in different ways than other low income people? In respect to homelessness, TANF and Medicaid do non supply all financess required to supply significant lodging for households. The fewer family members you have, the less aid and resources you have. Assistance is based on household unit, and income of the household unit. Certain guidelines must be met in order to allow aid to these households in the first topographic point ( Citation ) . Most TANF allowances merely cover a part of what is required to supply stable lodging for households at all. Most if the success of TANF and Medicaid are dependent upon the fiscal accomplishments of the individual having the assistance. â€Å" Since 1994, HUD ( the Department of Housing and Urban Development ) , has encouraged communities to turn to the jobs of homelessness in a co-ordinated, comprehensive, and strategic manner through Continuum of Care ( CoS ) † ( U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, n.d. ) . The CoC is a community program based on the demand to present low-cost lodging to the homeless, and prevent homelessness from happening within a household unit. HUD ‘s mission: â€Å" HUD ‘s mission is to increase homeownership, support community development and increase entree to affordable lodging free from favoritism. To carry through this mission, HUD will encompass high criterions of moralss, direction and answerability and hammer new partnerships — peculiarly with faith-based and community organisations — that purchase resources and better HUD ‘s ability to be effectual on the community degree. † — ( U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, n.d. ) Current obstructions that would be faced would be if support ran out to run the HUD plan for those households with low-income demands. Without these financess HUD is unable to assist those people who meet these income guidelines for decreased rent so they can afford lodging which in bend reduces their hazard for going homeless. HUD in itself will non wholly abolish homelessness, but it ‘s a good start. Unfortunately nevertheless, politicians are the people who determine who is hapless, ill, destitute, unemployed and uncared for ( Burger & A ; Youkeles, 2004 ) and the standards to find such is both political and economical. The truth is, there has to be hapless people in order to equilibrate out the system. These people are needed to absorb costs associated with fiscal assistance, public assistance, and other fiscal assistance depositories, bureaus, and divisions. Without the hapless, how do you cognize who the non-poor are? Ultimately, without enlargement, research, and alteration of policy, assistance to households to assist forestall homelessness would non be in topographic point. Most bureaus do what they can for who they can, but it will ne'er be plenty, there will ever be a turning demand in human services to assist those who can non assist themselves. Keeping that in head, and the turning demands of the thickly settled, it is merely normal to believe that societal policy, and human services continuously change with the times and events of the people and state it serves.MentionsBurger, W. R. , & A ; Youkeles, M. ( 2004 ) . Human Services in Contemporary America ( 6th ed. ) . Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole—Thomson Learning. Michelle Wood, a. J. ( Winter 2009 ) . Potential Analysiss with Homelessness Data: Ideas for Policymakers and Researchers. Retrieved January 09, 2010, from Department of Health and Human Services: United statess: hypertext transfer protocol: //aspe.hhs.gov/hsp/09/HomelessnessDataHHS/PotentialAnalyses/report.pdf U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. ( n.d. ) . Mission. Retrieved January 09, 2009, from U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development: hypertext transfer protocol: //portal.hud.gov/portal/page/portal/HUD/about/missionGovernment RegulationsThere are many Torahs that surround kids who are victims of kid maltreatment. One of the Torahs is the compulsory coverage jurisprudence. This jurisprudence states that certain people are required to describe any marks of kid maltreatment to governments if they see it. The compulsory newsmans are societal workers, instructors and other school personel, doctors and other wellness attention workers. Other compulsory newsmans are mental wellness professionals, any type of kid attention supplier, medical testers or medical examiners, and jurisprudence enforcement officers. Some provinces require movie or picture taking processors to describe any marks of kid maltreatment in images that are submitted into their labs. Sixteen provinces a nd Puerto Rico require anyone to describe kid abuse regardless of profession. By holding these compulsory newsmans, kid maltreatment is really likely to be found by person and reported. These compulsory newsmans are improbably of import because without them many instances of kid maltreatment would ne'er be found. This jurisprudence has a immense impact on abused kids. By necessitating these people to describe kid abuse many kids are acquiring the aid that they need. Some obstructions that could originate from this jurisprudence is these newsmans non cognizing what they are supposed to look for. If they do n't cognize what to describe things that need to be reported could perchance non be reported and the kid could be in danger. The other side of that is they could surmise something is incorrect and there could really be nil opprobrious about the household. The compulsory newsmans need to be trained to react suitably to child maltreatment instances. They need to be told what marks to look for that suggest kid maltreatment. As clip goes on this jurisprudence will alter as the state of affairss in the universe alteration. There may stop up being more people that are required to describe maltreatment as they see it. Many provinces will stop up adding the other Torahs that some provinces have. Equally much as the universe wants child maltreatment to travel off, it is non traveling to. It will merely acquire worse.BibilographyChidl Welfare Information Gateway, Retrieved January 10,2010 hypertext transfer protocol: //www.childwelfare.gov/systemwide/laws_policies/statutes/manda.cfm

4 questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 6

4 questions - Essay Example Moreover, the U.S. political system represents the conflict of interests between public organizations and politicians. Due to all these challenges, it is hard for USA to provide quick decisions in environmental diplomacy. Question 3. In fact, the events of two World Wars had shown that conflict of interests in international system leads to great humanitarian and economical disasters. Since they had always started from the occupation of certain territory, the current states tried their best to protect their sovereignty in the last century. In other words, it is no longer acceptable for the state to claim that territory in the other country is its property, if there is no will of local population. This change appeared in the post-war world order. In contemporary world, the different interests often lead to open conflicts. Even though neoliberals believe in the potential of international institutions to neglect the states’ individual influence, the recent dispute between Saudi Arabia and Yemen reflects that we still deal with the world divided in states and full of conflict purposes. In this context, the given essay discusses Saudi-Yemen conflict through the concepts of terrorism and war to show the unresolved state of global security issue in the contemporary world. On the one hand, Saudi Arabia and Yemen situation reveals that terrorism is still the subject of global policy concern. In fact, appearance of Saudi Arabia invasion both in political speeches and in media messages throughout the world reveals the nature of terrorism as not only an attempt to influence foreign government but also an intense to create panic in global public. In addition, the great number of displaced civilians after the Decisive Storm operation fits the purpose of terrorism in its violent appearance. Thus, current world deals with political regime in contemporary Saudi Arabia

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Tourism in morocco and how americans see morocco as a touristic Essay

Tourism in morocco and how americans see morocco as a touristic destination - Essay Example Notably, the same trend was visible in the case of Americans too. As Kiesnoski (2008) points out, there was a 30% rise in the number of American tourists to Morocco on an annual basis since 2008 and it seems that America has been hostile to Morocco all along. However, the situation is improving due to a number of reasons. As such, this paper seeks to critically evaluate the perceptions held by the Americans towards this country and the measures that can be implemented by Morocco in order to attract American tourists. Basically, Morocco is different from the other Middle East nations as a result of different cuisine and traditions. Morocco has the relics of Arab, French, Spanish and Portuguese traditions. As a result of these favorable conditions one can see that the nation is not as calamitous as its Middle East neighbors. Admittedly, Morocco has relatively good relations with the U.S. from the 1950s and the US Government has been working along with the Moroccan authorities to improve the lives of Moroccans. While other nations were turned upside down by citizens calling for revolution, and as the rulers of those nations retorted with military and weapon resulting in mass killings, Morocco witnessed peaceful agitations which are legally allowed and a peaceful referendum from the King offering limited monarchic power. Coskun (2011) posits to the effect that another important point is that unlike other Islamic nations which want to end the rule of monarchs, the majority of the electorate in Morocc o expressed total trust in the King. Thus, according to The Financial Times (2011) report, by adopting a constitutional monarchy like that of Spain or the UK, which is politically open and economically liberal, Morocco stands farther ahead of its Arab companions. Morocco always attracted different types of tourists due to its diversity in cultural tourism it offered. Tourists to Morocco get a chance to experience the various languages, cultures, dresses, and lifestyles

The Scottish Parliament Building Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Scottish Parliament Building - Assignment Example Effective time management does not only ensure that the project is not delayed, but also it ensures that benefits from the projects are derived in a timely manner. David et al (2006) argues that creating a proper project plan is an essential aspect that a firm should take into consideration when initiating any project. Nevertheless, some project managers do not realise the value of a project plan particularly in saving time, reducing cost and improving performance. According to Lewis (2006) there are various strategies that are put in place by project managers in order to ensure a project meets the needs of its users, these includes, incremental, interactive, as well as phased approaches. Whichever approach is employed, project managers who are focused at making their projects successful must espouse careful consideration so as to achieve the objectives of their projects. One of the best aspects that managers must emulate in order to attain the goals of the project is to effectively manage their teams. It is significant to note that team members need to be motivated since their role of ensuring timely completion of projects is paramount (Joseph 2003). Some of the major ways of motivating human labour force includes training, salary increment, holidays and promotion. This paper seeks to discuss various aspects that contributed to the success of Scottish Parliament. Major primary elements that will be discussed include proper allocation of resources, appropriate planning of time as well as hiring of skilled labour. Factors that contributed to the success in the construction of Scottish Parliament Proper use of resources Commencement of Scottish Parliament building, that is located east of Edinburgh town, was started in 1999. One of the major aspects that led the construction of Scottish Parliament to be successful was efficient allocation and use of resources from internal sources and external donors. As stipulated by Dardanelli (2005) it is vital for project man agers to ensure effective use of financial resources so as to avoid corruption and misuse of resources which are major causes project failure. Time planning Efficient time planning by the Scottish Parliament project managers highly contributed to the successful completion of Scottish Parliament. As stipulated by Bain (2004) failure by some project managers to appropriately manage their time, is a key issue that leads to delays in the completion of projects. In order to ensure timely completion of the Scottish Parliament, despite the controversies of cost increment and site selection, project managers ensured appropriate scheduling of activities that were concerned in the completion of the parliament building. Balfour & McCrone (2005) argues that notwithstanding the criticisms from various individuals for example Lord Fraser and public reaction, Scottish Parliament building was welcomed by various professionals and architects.   Public inquiry  that aimed at investigating the man agement and the supervision of the entire construction criticised the top management team due to selection of Bovis as the senior manager as well as appointment of non-Scottish architect. Skilled labour force Scottish Parliament was also successful due to experienced labour force. It is imperative to note that efficient managers take into consideration the experience of

The Colonialism in the Philippines Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The Colonialism in the Philippines - Essay Example One of the most significant contributions of Colonial Spain’s arrival in 1521 in the Philippines is the widespread of Christianism in the country today. Spain brought the Christian religion in the Philippines which started in Cebu as Ferdinand Magellan baptized Rajah Humabon and his wife with the Christian religion . The said ceremony made Humabon as the local chieftain or representative of the king of the Spain. About 800 Filipinos were baptized as Christians that day, April 14, 1521. However, Magellan’s entry into the country and for the hope to subjugate the whole nation under the name of the Spain was not that essentially smooth flowing knowing that other local leaders such as recalcitrant chief Lapu-lapu strongly opposed the presence of Spaniards in the country as far as the colonial threats, economic and political issues were concerned. Thus, on April 27, 1521, the battle in Mactan was set by Lapu-lapu against Magellan which killed the latter . This same scenario continued until the following years to come for the Philippines under the Spanish regime. Filipinos learned to fight for their rights and many were able to realize they had to fight for their right for their land and stood up to beat anything related with colonial oppression. Among of them were renowned and recognized Philippine heroes today such as Jose Rizal, Andress Bonifacio, Apolinario Mabini, Emilio Aguinaldo and many more. These people fought for the Filipinos’ rights to experience independence from colonial rule and oppression.... This same scenario continued until the following years to come for the Philippines under the Spanish regime. Filipinos learned to fight for their rights and many were able to realize they had to fight for their right for their land and stood up to beat anything related with colonial oppression. Among of them were renowned and recognized Philippine heroes today such as Jose Rizal, Andress Bonifacio, Apolinario Mabini, Emilio Aguinaldo and many more. These people fought for the Filipinos’ rights to experience independence from colonial rule and oppression. After forty four years of Magellan’s death, Christianism was reintroduced by another conquistador Miguel Lopez de Legazpi. This made it at present that 84 percent of the Filipinos are Roman Catholics, 10 percent Protestants and other related religious groups and about 4 percent Muslims5. Filipinos are Malayo-Polynesian in the Pacific Islands who compared to the Spaniards in the early time were not that advanced in polit ical and military supremacy. Filipinos then were gullible and not yet accustomed with the advanced economic and political thoughts compared with the Spaniards. The Spain was the first to take advantage of this, and they invaded the entire country, influenced them with certain religious beliefs and exploited the country’s bountiful resources. However, this unfairness did not take that long when Spaniards were defeated by the Americans in the Spanish-American war which end up in 1898. This means that the Philippines was then under the rule of Americans and become the loyal allies of the United States in Asia in the long run. In 1898, Philippine independence was declared and Emilio Aguinaldo became the first president of the country. However, months just passed after the