Marxs and Engelss Communist Manifesto

To understand the full meaning of the given passage, one must comprehend the historical and intellectual context in which it appears.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Marx’s and Engels’s Communist Manifesto specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Basically, Marx’s and Engels’s Communist Manifesto has depicted human history as a continuous manifestation of class struggles between an oppressor minority and the oppressed majority. Before the advent of the industrial age, all oppressive power was vested in the hands of a feudal class – the aristocracy. The chain of events starting with the overthrow of the monarchy in the French revolution eroded the traditional power base of Europe, leading to the rise of a new class of oppressors among the serfs – the bourgeoisie. This class of men only spoke the language of money and had little use for traditional values such as workmanship, chiva lry, religion, family relationships and other forms of sentimentality. The proletariat – the labor class, then crowded to fill the ranks of the new oppressed majority, allowing their hard work to be exploited by the bourgeois capitalists for a bare minimum existence. Marx and Engels believed that through this exploitative association with the proletariat, the bourgeoisie was able to rise to the top of the social class pyramid, fostering the development of present day property relations which sit at the heart of a wealth-driven society. According to this theory, the onset of the 19th century saw the dawn of a new civilization in which all productive forces of society were being systematically channelized to secure the existence of bourgeois property. Consequently, the proletarians had little choice but to understand their place in the new hierarchy which thrived on their usefulness as workmen, but cared little for their welfare as human beings. Marx and Engels argued that such an exploitative arrangement could not last forever and in due course, discontent would rise to the surface, which would ultimately, force the labor class to rise in armed rebellion against an uncaring, bourgeois ruling class. The study passage serves to illustrate such an outcome.Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The first section states that: The productive forces of society no longer tend to further the development of bourgeois civilization and the condition of bourgeois property. The conditions of bourgeois society are too narrow to comprise the wealth created by them. (Marxists Internet Archive, 2011). Since, discontent was growing heavily, Marx and Engles have tried to predict it would be only a matter of time before the bourgeoisie realized that their financial stranglehold on the proletariat was not strong enough to permanently secure their wealth due to the uneven nature of exploitation. Sooner or later, the ambitions of the proletariat would break the glass ceiling that until now, kept them down. To further assess the proletariat’s vulnerabilities, the passage looks into how the bourgeoisie desires to tackle this problem: And how does the bourgeoisie get over this crises? On the one hand, by the enforced destruction of a mass of productive forces; on the other hand, by the conquest of new markets, and by the more thorough exploitation of the old ones. That is to say, by paving the way for more extensive and more destructive crises, and by diminishing the means whereby crises are prevented. (Marxists Internet Archive, 2011). In association with other sections of the passage, we may gather that the authors, here, are referring to immoral tactics that have been employed by capitalists to demoralize the labor class; these include keeping the wages low i.e. enforcing destruction of a means to production, and looking for ingenious ways to exploit old markets while discovering new ones. Marx and Engles theorize that Capitalism thrives on the back of labor exploitation, which will set the events that would eventually lead to the downfall of such a system. The last section of the passage suggests that Capitalism’s seeds of destruction lie in its own methods of oppression:Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Marx’s and Engels’s Communist Manifesto specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The weapons with which the bourgeoisie felled feudalism to the ground are now turned against the bourgeoisie itself. But not only has the bourgeoisie forged the weapons that bring death to itself; it has called into existence the men who are to wield those weapons – the modern workers – the proletarians. (Marxists Internet Archive, 2011). Marx and Engels are here trying to imply that not unlike Frankenstein, the bourgeoisie has created a monster among the proletariats, who would one day untie the restraints that are keeping them tethered in submission. When such a thing happens in future, it would undermine the very foundations of the bourgeois power structure. The significance of the passage, can be seen in the context of the overall Communist Manifesto theory. The underlying theme of Communism tries to project the proletariat as the owner of all means of production in a distant, utopian future – a future where men are stripped of their right to exploit the labor of other men for their individual, selfish benefits. From the point of view of early 19th century history, this was a radical statement to make. To be first among his peers, Marx came with a theory where it was possible for the oppressed majority people to wrest the reins of power from an oppressive minority. The passage, here, serves as a clarion call to the proletariat to fight against the fetters of injustice, in order to rise against a global, tyrannical sys tem that has been exploiting it for its own good. If one reads between the lines, the passage serves to incite readers of that period to raise their voice against the injustices of the prevailing system It is significant to note that within years and decades of the publishing of Communist Manifesto, the world saw major Communist rebellions in South America. The impact of this passage is indeed profound, considering its indirect role in shaping human history. Reference Marxists Internet Archive. (2011, Oct 10). Manifesto of the Communist Party [Online document]. Retrieved from https://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1848/communist-manifesto/index.htmAdvertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This essay on Marx’s and Engels’s Communist Manifesto was written and submitted by user Shania S. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

The Media and Terrorism

The Media and Terrorism The question of relations between the media and terrorism is rather controversial because of the phenomena’s interdependence. It is possible to state that the power of terrorism can be enhanced by the media because the media resources are used as the tools for terroristic organizations, but the media cannot cause terrorism directly.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Media and Terrorism specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Terroristic organizations are inclined to use the media in order to realize the definite purposes and complete the organization’s goals, but the activities of the free media cannot provoke the development of terrorism without references to terroristic organizations (Terrorism and the media, 2008). The media can stimulate the power of terrorism because the principle of freedom followed by the media resources depends on spreading any type of information, and terrorist organizations rely on spreading their messages in order to affect the public and cause the people’s fear (Camphuijsen Vissers, 2010). As a result, the impact of terroristic organizations and their activities increase, however, the media in their nature cannot cause terrorism because of the differences in goals and purposes. The purposes and goals of terroristic organizations are to scare the public and achieve the certain social and political goals, and the completion of these goals is complicated without the usage of the mass media because of the necessity to persuade the public (Martin, n.d.). Thus, the modern products of the active relations between the mass media and terrorism which contribute to increasing the power of terroristic organizations are anonymous terrorism, the focus on violent terrorist attacks, and the terroristic attacks against media institutions to make them follow the terrorist instructions (Perl, 1997). Terrorists use the media to draw the public’s attention to the problem and receive the necessary resonance within the society. In spite of the fact that the media are closely associated with the development of terrorism and with stimulating the power of terroristic organizations, the media can also influence the public’s opinion in order to form the specific viewpoint and position against terrorism. From this perspective, it is important to control the usage of the media by terroristic organizations and to provide the required policies. References Camphuijsen, M., Vissers, E. (2010). Terrorism and the mass media: A symbiotic relationship? Web.Advertising Looking for essay on political sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Martin, J. (n.d.). The media’s role in international terrorism. Web. Perl, R. (1997). Terrorism, the media, and the government: perspectives, trends, and options for policymakers. Web. Terrorism and the media. (2008). Web.

How to Develop and Organize a Classification Essay

How to Develop and Organize a Classification Essay Classification is a method of developing an essay by arranging people, objects, or ideas with shared characteristics into particular classes or groups. After you have settled on a topic for a classification essay*  and explored it through various prewriting strategies, you should be ready to attempt a first draft. Here is how to develop and organize a five-paragraph classification essay. Introductory Paragraph In your introduction, clearly identify your subject - in this case, the group you are classifying. If you have narrowed your subject in any way (for example, types of bad drivers, rock guitarists, or annoying moviegoers), make this clear from the start. You may also want to provide some specific descriptive or informative details to attract the interest of your readers and suggest the purpose of the essay. Finally, include a thesis sentence (usually at the end of the introduction) that briefly identifies the main types or approaches that youre about to examine.   Heres an example of a short but effective introductory paragraph to a classification essay: Its a warm evening in July, and all across the country Americans are gathering to watch a game of professional baseball. Armed with hot dogs and cold drinks, they stroll to their seats, some in grand stadiums, others in cozy minor-league parks. But no matter where the game is played, you will find the same three types of baseball fan: the Party Rooter, the Sunshine Supporter, and the Diehard Fan. Notice how this introduction creates certain expectations. The specific details provide a setting (a ballpark on a warm evening in July) in which we expect to see the various fans described. In addition, the labels assigned to these fans (the Party Rooter, the Sunshine Supporter, and the Diehard Fan) lead us to expect descriptions of each type in the order theyre given. A good writer will go on to fulfill these expectations in the body of the essay. Body Paragraphs Begin each body paragraph with a topic sentence that identifies a particular type of approach. Then  illustrate each type with specific details. Arrange your body paragraphs in whatever order strikes you as clear and logical - say, from the least effective approach to the most effective, or from the most common type to the least familiar (or the other way around). Just make sure that the order of your body paragraphs matches the arrangement promised in your thesis sentence. Here, in the body of the essay on baseball fans, you can see that the writer has fulfilled the expectations set up in the introduction. (In each body paragraph, the topic sentence is in italics.) The Party Rooter goes to games for the hot dogs, the gimmicks, the giveaways, and the companionship; hes not really that interested in the ballgame itself. The Party Rooter is the sort of fan who shows up on Buck-a-Brew Night, often with a gang of fellow partiers. He cracks jokes, hurls peanuts at the team mascot, applauds the exploding scoreboard, blasts an electronic horn whenever he pleases- and occasionally nudges a companion and asks, Hey, whos winning? The Party Rooter often wanders out of the park in the sixth or seventh inning to continue his celebrations in the car on the way home.The Sunshine Supporter, usually a more common type than the Party Rooter, goes to the park to cheer on a winning team and bask in its glory. When the home side is on a winning streak and still in contention for a playoff spot, the stadium will be packed with this sort of fan. As long as her team is winning, the Sunshine Supporter will be roaring at every play, waving her pennant and shouting out th e names of her heroes. However, as the name implies, the Sunshine Supporter is a fickle fan, and her cheers quickly turn to boos when a hero strikes out or drops a line drive. She will stay around until the end of the game to celebrate a victory, but should her team fall a few runs behind, shes likely to slip out to the parking lot during the seventh-inning stretch.​Diehard Fans are also strong supporters of the local team, but they go to the park to watch good baseball, not just to root for a winner.  More attentive to the game than other fans, Diehards will study the stance of a power hitter, note the finesse of a quick fielder, and anticipate the strategy of a pitcher who has fallen behind in the count. While the Party Rooter is chugging a beer or dropping wisecracks, Diehards may be filling in a scorecard or commenting on a players RBI tally over the past few months. And when a Sunshine Supporter boos an opposing player for tagging out a local hero, Diehards may be quie tly applauding the expert moves of this enemy infielder. No matter what the score is, Diehard Fans remain in their seats until the last batter is out, and they may still be talking about the game long after its over.​ Notice how the writer uses comparisons to ensure cohesion in the body of the essay. The topic sentence in both  the second and third paragraphs refers to the preceding paragraph. Likewise, in the third body paragraph, the writer draws explicit contrasts between the Diehards and the other two types of baseball fans. Such comparisons not only provide smooth transitions from one paragraph to the next but also reveal the sympathies of the writer. He begins with the type of fan he likes the least and ends with the one he most admires. We now expect the writer to justify his attitudes in the conclusion. Concluding Paragraph The concluding paragraph gives you an opportunity to draw together the various types and approaches you have been examining in the body of the essay. You may choose to offer a final brief comment on each one, summarizing its value or its limitations. Or you may want to recommend one approach over the others and explain why. In any case, make sure that your conclusion clearly emphasizes the purpose of your classification. In the concluding paragraph to Baseball Fans, consider whether the author has been successful in his effort to tie his observations together. Professional baseball would have trouble surviving without all three types of fans. The Party Rooters provide much of the money that owners need to hire talented players. The Sunshine Supporters bring a stadium to life and help boost the morale of the home team. But only the Diehard Fans maintain their support all season long, year in and year out. By late September in most ballparks, enduring chilly winds, rain delays, and sometimes humiliating losses, only the Diehards remain. Notice how the writer hooks his conclusion back to the introduction by contrasting the chilly night in September with the warm evening in July. Connections such as this help to unify an essay and give it a sense of completeness. As you develop and organize your draft, experiment with various strategies, but keep this basic format in mind: an introduction that identifies your subject and the different types of approaches; three (or more) body paragraphs that rely on specific details to describe or illustrate the types; and a conclusion that draws your points together and makes the overall purpose of the classification clear.

Combating Employee Turnover Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Combating Employee Turnover - Essay Example This has been explained in the form of a model in the diagram below: Figure 1: Employee’s Turnover Model Source: (Allen, Bryant & Vardaman 2011) If an organization sees that employees are unhappy with the work environment and there are some factors that may start the cycle of Employee’s Turnover Model, then the organization should try to remove them from the environment. They may develop strategies that will improve the work environment, improve employee’s relationship with others in the organization and try to focus on individual characteristics of workers to make them happy. These strategies will ensure that the employee does not leave the organization. Another idea suggested by Allen et al. study is that the organization should conduct employee’s surveys at regular intervals and should develop evidence-based strategies based on the problems identified in these surveys to make sure that employee’s turnover is reduced and this can be an effective w ay to combat the problem of high turnover in the large corporations and organizations. (Allen, Bryant & Vardaman 2011) Another study done on 76 organizations concludes that employment benefits and effective retirement policies reduce the problem of employee turnover by almost 34%. The study’s rationale was that employee’s benefits and retirement programs are given to employees after their retirement. Since gratuity fund grows exponentially, so employees think that longer they will stay with the organization, the bigger gratuity or pension they will get. Hence, this motivates them not to quit the job. Therefore, organizations with effective employee’s benefits and retirements plan tend to retain workers for longer periods than organizations that do not focus on these programs. Another important finding of the research was that it takes almost $3000 to replace a work in mid-management position. Hence, if these $3000/worker are used in creating effective retirement and pension plans, then an organization is likely to retain its workers for longer periods (Sutton 2001). In a model developed (Darmna 2000), it was found that replacing the employees that are leaving the organization is quite expensive. Hence, organizations could use half the costs that are spent on recruiting new staff to appease or solving the problems of the leaving staff. They can use the same money to increase their wages or to reduce the de-motivation factors from the organization. This would improve the problem of high employee turnover because factors that were perturbing the employees are being removed from the environment and hygienic factors such as increased pay are being given to them. Hence, there is no reason for them to leave the organization. (Darmna 2000) Participative management is another technique to reduce the problem of high turnover. Participative management believes in the autocratic leadership. It is an approach that calls for management by objective. Her e the responsibility is delegated to workers who are then free to decide how they will go about doing their work. This kind of approach has been highly successful in staff retention and large MNCs are making use of this approach. The illustrious lists of organizations that use this approach are Unilever, Proctor and Gamble, Reckitt-Beckniser and Siemens. It was found that these organizations retain employees twice longer than any other company. One reason for this high retention rate is responsibility management and participative

Representation of wives over the century Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Representation of wives over the century - Essay Example Wives had a societal connotation and were expected to satisfy the social characterisations ad expectations of women. Edna Pontellier, the protagonist in Kate Chopin’s The Awakening is a controversial character, considering the time that the novel was written. Edna is against all the cultural anticipations and made-up roles of women in the nineteenth century including denying being a mother or wife. She prefers being herself, a self-defined individual, rather than the societal structures of maternity that coerce her to be titled as Leonce Pontellier’s wife and mother of Raoul and Etienne Pontellier. Edna represents wives who seek autonomy and individuality, and inopportunely, this is against societal constructs. Women are male-defined and society-defined creatures, and are either seen as mothers and wives, or considered as exiles. Since Edna is not expected to live like a man as she desires, she commits suicide to free herself from the desolation. In Washington Irving’s The Devil and Tom Walker, Tom Walker’s wife is a high-tempered and strong woman who regularly engaged in wordy conflicts with her husband. Mrs Walker fought with her husband regularly, instead of being submissive as the society demanded. Tom loathes his wife to an extent that when she is taken by the devil, he is more concerned of the lost valuables than his wife, Mrs Walker. The couple have similar behaviour, with no difference on who is the man or woman in the relationship, to an extent that Mrs Walker desires to be better-off than her husband. This shows her endeavour to demand equality between the sexes in an age where the society stipulated that women be submissive. Jack, in Stephen Crane’s The Bride Come to Yellow Sky, uses his bride as a source of social status in the society. He does not marry a woman he does; he marries her to stay alive and escape Scratchy’s brunt. Marriage was valued during that time, and wives were an indispensable property. Jack’s wife

The main characteristics and structure of the Acts of the Apostles Essay Example for Free

The main characteristics and structure of the Acts of the Apostles Essay Outline your knowledge and understanding of the main characteristics and structure of the Acts of the Apostles [35] The Acts of the Apostles is the fifth book of the New Testament which outlines the events of Apostolic Age of Christianity. Within the book, there is a definite structure behind it with reoccurring and consistent themes and characteristics that continually appearing throughout it. In terms of the structure of the book, there are three consistent themes which consistently appear and develop throughout Acts as the Apostles progress through the journey. The themes I refer to are geographical, biographical and theological. The geographical theme is first made evident by Jesuss final command before he ascended into heaven, in 1:8 of Acts. Jesus said you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. The book of Acts then proceeds to tell the story, where the events fulfil this prophecy and the actual book could be divided into sections based on what Jesus said. From the start of the book until chapter 6, the Apostles are situated in Jerusalem and from then to chapter 12 is the story of how the Apostles fled Jerusalem and went out to Judea and Samaria. From Chapter 12 onwards chronicles the missionary journeys and the road to Rome, which was considered by many to be the ends of the earth at the time. The biographical theme is one that has caused many of scholars to dispute the title of the book, for although the book is titled Acts of the Apostles, the book mainly centres around two figures. The first figure would be Peter, one of the original twelve and a Jewish convert whom represented the traditional early Christians who maintained their Jewish traits. The first part of Acts focused on him and his leadership in getting the Church started up. The other figure would be Paul, a former member of the Sanhedrin who persecuted the Church before being converted and becoming a missionary spreading the message to the Gentiles throughout Asia, Europe and to Rome. The theological theme is shown through the spread of the message and the expansion of the Church to include the Gentiles and how such a move caused such controversy and concern amongst the early Christians. In the book, Luke ensures to include all details which state that Gentiles should be allowed to convert so as to solve the problem, for even if the speeches included in the book were not successful, the content was of importance, and thus view is upheld by scholars such as Fernando. Also in Acts are a number of characteristics that are ever-present in most, if not all stories within the book. The Holy Spirit, baptism, opposition, universalism, miracles and prayer, it is generally agreed by scholars and can be seen by most, that these features are often integrated somehow into the stories. The Holy Spirit is the most common reoccurring characteristic present in the book of Acts, and also one that is existent in Lukes Gospel and shows the connection between his Gospel and Acts. As said by the scholar Guthrie, God is seen to be active in the early Church through the Spirits power. The Holy Spirit was a promised gift from Jesus and is shown to have much effect when it came into ones life. On Pentecost, the spirit is shown to have changed the Apostles from being scared and in hiding, to being open and speaking out proudly of their religion, particularly Peter, who became a fearless and insightful leader. It also changed Paul from being one of the persecutors to being one of the persecuted. The general message is that if one accepts the message with enthusiasm, the spirit would change their life, with an example of this being the Crippled Beggar as well. Another common characteristic of the book is the sacrament of Baptism, as Luke commonly writes that baptism is necessary in order to become a part of the Church, for it is not only symbolic of a change of heart or the washing away of old sins and such, it is supposed to give way for a new life where the Holy Spirit actually lives within a person. This is made clear by Paul when he was in Ephesus in chapter 19. Opposition is something which also comes up often in the book of Acts, more often than not actually. From Jesus time, to the actual beginnings of the Church and all the way to when Paul was in Rome, the Christians were facing persecution from others, namely the Jews. The Sanhedrin arrested numerous Christians and even stoned Stephen to death and Paul is rejected by the Jews in just about every town he enters on his missionary journeys. Despite their numerous attempts to spread the message to everyone, including the Jews whom Paul always visited first upon entering a town, they continued to shoot it down and reject them. And that idea of Christians attempting to spread the message to all leads us to the next characteristic and that is, universalism. This is first raised in 1:8 of Acts, as it is said that the message should be spread to all people everywhere, and begins to happen after the Diaspora of the early Christians after Stephens death. Philip is the first to break boundaries as he converts Samaritans (essentially a sect of Judaism) and talks to an Ethiopian, however Peter officially accepts the Gentiles into the Church, beginning with Cornelius. Also, Paul is told in a vision to be the one who preached and spread the message to the Gentiles specifically. Another characteristic which is present throughout the book is the act of Miracles, which as CS Lewis said are what God writes across the sky in capital letters what he usually writes in small letters everyday. The point behind them is to make valid the claims that Jesus is indeed the Lord and that his power and presence is still very much alive. An example of a miracle is how Peter healed the crippled beggar, enabling him to jump up and run about. And the final characteristic of Acts is the importance of prayer in Christianity. Luke uses prayer to emphasise the community aspect of the religion and encourages others to worship in numbers as prayer gives people time to give praise to God, whilst also bringing about fellowship and equality especially after the division between Jewish and Gentile converts. Paul was seen to have prayed often, such as when he was imprisoned and he prayed and sang hymns which lead to divine intervention as he escaped from the prison. Overall, one can see that there are many characteristics that the book is based around and that there is a definite structure which really builds up the story.

The Ice Storm Essay -- essays research papers

It is 1973. New Canaan, Connecticut is a prototypical 'bedroom'; community. Modern homes, clean, quiet streets and plenty of greenspace lend an air of contentment to the setting. However, behind the doors of these homes discontent and ennui are thriving.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  '…affluent Americans increasingly clustered in suburban areas, where jobs for women were limited and domestic help was in short supply. Husbands were away from home longer because they had to commute to work, leaving the wives to bear the complete responsibility for the family…The American dream of affluence in a natural, bucolic setting away from urban squalor often made it impossible for women to be anything other than housewives and mothers.'; i. The Ice Storm focuses on two families, the Hoods and the Carvers. Ben Hood, (Kevin Kline), is the aptly-named, self-absorbed patriarch of his family moving through life believing all that matters is what he sees in front of him; his wife, Elena (Joan Allen) is his quietly despairing mate and mother of Paul (Tobey Maguire) and Wendy (Christina Ricci). Jim Carver (Jamey Sheridan) is an enterprising man, who is seldom home long enough to attend to the needs of his wife Jane (Sigourney Weaver) and their two sons Mike (Elijah Wood) and Sandy (Adam Hann-Byrd). These families are linked by relationships, superficially neighborly, but in fact more visceral than they are prepared to admit to even themselves. It takes an outside force, the ice storm, to force them to come to grips with the realities of their lives, both individually and as families. 'The majority of the past and present studies of martial discontent decisively show that non-working married women are much more prone to anxiety, depression, and mental breakdowns than married men, married working women, or single women.'; ii. Elena Hood and Jane Carver are stereotypical suburban wives. Jane is portrayed as a sexual person, her first three appearances show her cleaning spilt wine from Ben Hood's crotch, the next two in bed. She dresses provocatively, in fur, boots, and bangles, her long hair flowing about her shoulders. Elena is shown as a domestic, spending most of the film in the kitchen. Though she is a beautiful, vivacious woman, she locks her emotions away beneath her suburban spousal exterior. She is the prototypical housewife. Both women have husba... ...eir lives learning them. During the Depression and World War II, 'women's work'; became much more than tasks performed at home. The 'go where you want to go, do what you want to do'; mantra of the '60s showed women who felt there was more to life than domesticity that their urge to be 'of the world'; was a viable goal. They wanted, rightly, to be included in the power structure. The obstacle to this end was the existing male-dominated power elite. Men, who through upbringing and experience believed that their position of control was pre-ordained, were too busy convincing themselves and each other of their rectitude to listen to what women wanted. Wendy Carver is a product of all this, a girl blossoming into womanhood, and a person with strong opinions to express. She, in many ways, defines the burgeoning power women felt in their grasp in 1973. They yearned to be part of the great decision-making processes affecting their world. Their perspective, they knew, was vital to making t he necessary changes to the 'boys' club'; mentality that had bred the wars, embargos and political chicanery that plagued America in the early 70s. The world was changing, and it was time to talk about it.

Basement

3 – basement 3 – Basement 1 Quick Revision 1. 1 Problems arising from basement construction a. Excavation method. b. Surface and ground water control c. Lateral stability of basement excavation. d. Stability of adjoining building. 1. 2 Ground water control – dewatering a. Open Sump Pumping b. Wellpoint System. c. Shallow-Bored Well System d. Deep-Bored Well System 1. 3 Basement Excavation a. Open excavation b. Sheet pile cofferdam Supported with raking struts Supported with struts and walings Supported with ground anchors Ground support and ground water control for deep excavationCut off wallings: c. Thin grouted diaphrage d. Mixed in place wall e. Ground treatment f. Circular cofferdam g. Diaphrage wall 1/11 3 – basement 2. Cut-off wallings 2. 1 Thin grouted diaphragm A series of touching universal beams or columns are driven into the ground to the required depth. A grout injection pipe is fixed to the web the section and this is connected to a group pump at the ground. As the sections are withdrawn the void created is filled with cement grout to form the thin membrane. This is a non-structural wall and services only as a cut-off wall. It is uitable subsoil of silt, sand and gravel. 2. 2 Thin grouted diaphragm (Source: R. Chudley) Mixed-in-place wall A hollow churn drill is drilled into the ground. Intrusion grout is pumped through the hollow kelly bar during the drilling operation. When the required depth is reached, the auger rotation is reversed and withdrawn while grout injection continues. The grout is thus mixed with the existing soil to form a mixed-in-place pile. The above process is repeated with the piles being cast against each other until the whole wall is formed. Mixed-in-place pile (Source: Jufri & Wellmen) /11 3 – basement 2. 3 Ground treatment The major disadvantage of pumping is causing settlement of surrounding ground. In urban areas, settlement would serious affect the stability of adjacent properties. In t his situation, grouting method can be used to control ground water. The basic method is to inject the soil or rock with fluids which, on setting, seal or reduce the permeability of the material. There are various types of grouts. The choice of grouts, the pattern and spacing of the injection pipes will depend upon the particle sizes of the soil or the size of fissures in the rock.Cement Grouting (Source: R. Chudley) 2. 3. 1 Cement grouting Cement grout is suitable for injecting into coarse materials which have a high permeability. This method not only can form an impermeable barrier to ground water but also solidify loose soils which prevents from collapsing during excavation. It is usual to commence grouting with a batch of thin grout and then to increase the viscosity of the grout as the process continues, by reducing the water-cement ratio. The grout used may be composed of neat cement grout, or a mixture of cement and 3/11 3 – basement sand in the ratio of 1 : 4.The addin g of sand reduces the cost of material but it also reduces the workability. On the other hand, pulverized fuel ash (PFA) may be used to replace part of the cement (up to 50%) to reduce the cost of the material. The spherical particle shape of PFA improves the flow quality of the grout without reducing its strength. 2. 3. 2 Bentonite grouting Bentonite grouting is used in ground conditions where the particles of the soil are too small for cement grouting. While bentonite grout adds little strength to the soil, it has a high resistance to water flow and therefore produces an excellent barrier.Bentonite is produced from montmorillionite clay, which has thixotropic properties: when it coagulates it forms a gel, and if mixed with certain additives, such as Portland cement or soluble silicates, the barrier formed will be permanent. 2. 3. 3 Chemical grouting There are two main processes of chemical grouting: ‘one-shot’ and ‘two shot’. In the ‘two-shotâ€℠¢ process, pipes are driven into the ground at about 600 mm centres, and the first chemical, normally sodium silicate, is injected. This is followed immediately by the injection of the second chemical, calcium chloride.The reaction between the two chemicals is immediate, resulting in a tough, insoluble ‘silica-gel’. The process gives considerable strength to the soil and greatly reduces its permeability. Two-shot process for chemical grouting 4/11 3 – basement The ‘two-shot’ process has been largely superseded by the ‘one-shot’ process, which consists of mixing together prior to injection two chemicals whose gel time can be sufficiently delayed to allow full penetration of the soil before gel occurs. The extent of the delay can be accurately controlled by varying the proportions of the two chemicals.The extra time available for placing this grout allows wider spacing of the boreholes. 4. 2. 6 Circular cofferdam Steel sheet pile cofferdam s may be arranged in circular shape in plan. Circular cofferdams may be supported with ring walings. The walings are subject to tangential thrust and act as a continuous arch. Thus transverse struts are not required. Large diameter circular cofferdams may be formed of concrete diaphragm wall and reinforced with ring concrete beam. The advantage of this method is that it provides a clear excavation un-hampered by struts. However, the method is restricted to circular shape.Circular cofferdam support with ring walings Basement construction of IFC 5/11 3 – basement 5 Diaphragm Walls Diaphragm walling describes the construction of continuous concrete walls into the ground. The process, sometimes called the slurry trench method, involves the excavation of a narrow trench to the required depth which supported with bentonite slurry. The trench is then filled with concrete to form the wall. Construction of diaphragm wall 5. 1 Advantages of using diaphragm walls for basement constructi on 1. The process of constructing the wall is relatively quiet and has little vibration. . The wall can be constructed to a great depth. 3. The wall provides temporary ground supports during excavation hence expensive steelwork is eliminated or minimized. 4. The wall provides a good water cut-off; no dewatering is required and hence has little effects on adjacent structure. 5. The wall serves both as external wall for the basement and the foundation for the superstructure. 6. For deep basement, diaphragm walling is more economical than using steel sheeting cofferdam. 6/11 3 – basement 5. 2 Method of construction of concrete diaphragm wall 1. A perimeter trench, 1 to 1. m deep and with a width equal to the wall thickness plus 300 mm is excavated. 2. The trench is lined on both sides with 150 mm thick in-situ concrete. (The linings provide a guide for the grab and protect the top of the excavation from collapse. ) 3. The wall is divided into to panels. The width of each panel i s about 4. 5 to 7 m. The sequence of construction for the panels is in an alternatively way. That is, an intermediate panel is excavated after panels on its both sides have been cast. 4. The trench is then filled with bentonite slurry from a large storage tank before excavation.Excavation is done by a grab. During excavation, it is important to maintain the slurry level at about 0. 5 m below the top of the trench. (The function of the bentonite is to prevent the ingress of water and soil into the trench. ) Excavation is continued until the founding is reached. 5. Stop end pipes of diameter equal the wall thickness are placed at both ends of the panel. A reinforcement cage is lowered through the bentonite and panel is cast with tremie concrete. The displaced bentonite is recovered, strained to remove the soil particles and then stored for future use. 6.When the concrete has set, the stop end pipes are removed. Semi-circular sockets are formed which provide key for the adjacent panels . 7. Further panels of the diaphragm wall are then formed in a similar manner until the wall is completed. 5. 3 Precast Concrete Diaphragm Walls Diaphragm walls can also be formed with precast concrete panels. The construction sequence is: 1. A perimeter trench, lined on both sides with concrete walls, is prepared. 7/11 3 – basement 2. The trench is filled with bentonite slurry and excavated with a grab. During excavation, the slurry level is maintained at about 0. m below the top of the trench. Excavation is continued until the founding is reached. 3. Cement grout is introduced to the bottom of the trench with a spreader. The displaced bentonite is recovered, strained to remove the soil particles and then stored for future use. 4. Precast posts or panels are inserted into the trench to form the wall 5. When the grout has set, it seals the joints of the precast panels effectively, and the diaphragm wall is formed. Precast Concrete Diaphragm Wall Precast Concrete Diaphragm Wal l (Source: R. Holmes) (Source: R. Holmes) 8/11 3 – basement 6 Soldier pile wallSince the wall of a basement must be watertight, if a soldier pile wall is used as a basement wall, the piles of the wall will be constructed to overlap with each other. This type of wall is also called secant pile wall. The overlapping is about 120 to 200 mm. It is cut by a hydraulic actuated casing fitted with a cutting ring at the lower end. The cutting must be done within one or two days after the concrete has been cast to prevent it become to hard. Secant pile wall Alternatively, the piles of the wall are cast contiguous. Boreholes are drill at the joints of the piles which cut the edges of the piles. The boreholes are then filled ith bentonite-cement grout to seal the joints. Secant pile wall (Source: R. Chudley) 9/11 3 – basement 7 Top-Down Basement Construction It is to construct the basement in the downward direction to the final levels of the basement. The sequence of work is as fo llows:1. Construct the permanent basement wall using diaphragm wall or soldier piles wall. 2. Construct bored piles with temporary steel casings as the foundation of the basement. The cut-off level of the piles is at the final basement level. 3. Place steel columns inside the steel casings of the bore piles from the foundation level up to the ground level. . Backfill the shafts with granular material to hold the steel columns. 5. Construct the ground floor slab supported on the steel columns and the diaphragm walls. (This slab provides a working platform for superstructure construction and acts as the lateral support for the basement excavation. ) Access opening in this slab shall be provided for further excavation. 6. Excavate beneath the ground floor slab down to next basement floor soffit. 7. Cut the steel casing, remove the gravel and expose the steel column. 8. Cast the second basement slab. The slab is connected to the columns with shear studs and connected the diaphragm wall with dowels) 9. Repeat the process for the successive basement floors until down to the final basement slab. The top-down method provides the following main advantages:1. Superstructure can be constructed at the same time as the basement construction takes place and therefore the overall construction time is reduced. 2. Temporary and permanent works are combined and therefore there is no need for extensive steel temporary works. 3. Stiff rigid walls allow an almost watertight construction and basement construction to great depth.These stiff walls provide at the same time a limitation to ground movement. 10/11 3 – basement Steel casing infilled with granular material Steel column on top of bored pile Reference: Control of groundwater for temporary works (1986), S. H. Somerville, CIRCA Construction Technology (1987), R. Chudley, Longman Building Construction Handbook (1992), R. Chudley, Newnes Introduction to Civil Engineering Construction (1985), R. Holmes, College of Estate M anagement Civil Engineering Construction IV (1991), S. A. R. Jufri & R. J. Wellmen, Hong Kong Polytechnic 11/11

Prada Case Essay

From the financial point of view, the Italian luxury brand- Prada, which was known for its design innovation, can’t claim itself successful. Although it has the ability to keep its revenue over 1.5 billion euros for three consecutive years, it also contains more than 1 billion euros of debt maturing within 12 months sitting on its balance sheet. One of the best solutions for Prada to solve this problem is to raise capital in the stock market, which we could refer as IPO. Given the current market conditions, listing in Hong Kong might appears to be the best choice after all. But, before we go further in details about the pros and cons about listing in Hong Kong, we should first discuss the reasons why we choose IPO over Debt and Strategic partnership. Compare to issuing debt, an IPO will not add any more burden to the company’s balance sheet, which for Prada, was already showed a sign of insolvency and over leveraged. Another issue is that no firms in this industry have ever raised money in US bond market. Although â€Å"dim sum bond† – a Chinese Yuan denominated bonds issued in Hong Kong could be the best alternative to this situation, however, the short life and the exchange risk it involved are its most disadvantages. How about sale some portion of the firm to the private equity firms to raise capital? For this deal, it seems that they will not only offer a sizeable premium to the family, but also to offer some important positions on the board too. But, compare to IPO, it will not increase Prada’s publicity through this method. And also, an IPO in Hong Kong will give the company more opportunity to expand their Asia market, especially in China and Japan. Choosing a Strategic Partnership would be just like giving that huge potential profit away. So, the next question is how do we actually apply the IPO strategy?

Political Culture Essay Example

Political Culture Essay Example Political Culture Essay Political Culture Essay â€Å"Drawing examples from any one Caribbean territory and using public opinion data from sources , to what extent is political culture less dependent on local culture as a result of recent technological developments. † Political culture is the particular set of orientations, beliefs, customs, and preconceptions which are shared by members of the society, which give meaning to their political process, and which provide the underlying assumptions that govern their political behaviour and public policies (Lawrence 6). On the other hand we have local culture, which Karen Lawrence describes as the history, family, politics, landscape, art, music and values and people melded into a sense of place that feels vibrant and cohesive and firmly rooted. Local culture is where and how one is connected to life and each other; it is the collective memory of a community. What is technology might one ask? Technology is the use of tools or instruments for any human activity. These human activities can be production, storage, exchange, transportation or even consumption. It is the branch of knowledge that deals with the creation and use of technical means and their interrelation with life society and the environment, drawing upon such subjects as industrial engineering,  applied  science,  and  pure science. Politics is an area which manifests may aspects of our culture and in these modern times, political culture in the Caribbean territory of Jamaica has become dependent on recent technological developments. Globalization is a process of interactions and integration among people, companies, and governments of different nations, a process driven by international trade and investment and aided by information technology. This process has effects on the environment, on culture, on political systems, on economic development and prosperity, as well as human physical well-being in societies around the world. Due to globalization, money, goods and manufacturing have become more mobile than they once were, and as a result corporations and businesses are allowed to finance, invest and move wherever they choose, they have a wider access to other countries across the world. There is a shift in the balance of power between international businesses and governments. National governments are less able to control the activities of mobile businesses than in the past, while corporations and financial institutions are in a better position to dictate to national governments. They do this by, purchasing the currencies of states whose policies they approve and abandoning, or threatening to abandon the rest. In 2003, Jamaica’s debt stood at $4. 4billion owing to the IMF, the debt required that 52 cents of every dollar earned goes for interest payments. By this time Jamaica had already paid back 17 times the amount of money originally borrowed. Farming and industry have been in crisis. There was a very high unemployment rate and there has been migration from the rural areas to Kingston, people in search of jobs and opportunities. There was an increase in crime and drug trade, which in turn have led to frequent police killings. Political violence and rioting has been seen in recent years. Responsible in part for this unrest and turmoil is globalization, ensnaring the country in enormous debt arranged by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank, and other international lending agencies at high interest rates. â€Å"The structural adjustments that were imposed by the IMF had cause for an increase in interest rates to industry and farmers, so that they could no longer compete with the flood of subsidized or â€Å"dumped† foreign imports. These policies have driven down wages and forced the government to cut back funding for education, healthcare, and agricultural programs which benefit the poor (Harper 2003). † Again due to globalization there was civil unrest and mayhem in Jamaica. In 2009 there was an extradition request from the USA for Christopher â€Å"Dudus† Coke, a drug kingpin who enjoyed demigod status in the west Kingston stronghold of Tivoli Gardens. The United States wanted him for drug trafficking and gun trade. The then ruling party, the Jamaica Labour Party did not want to give up Mr. Coke, as he had close ties with the party. This included a construction company called Incomparable Enterprises, where Dudus was a partner, was awarded three government contracts by the JLP valued at $US 400 thousand, also a contract worth US $150,000 to transport materials to Riverton City landfill. Also the JLP was also responsible for campaigning and establishment of the â€Å"garrison† known as Tivoli. The USA said that they would cut all ties with Jamaica if Mr. Coke was not extradited. Jamaica depended on the US for money and imported products. Jamaica could not afford to lose America’s support, as so in turn, Dudus was extradited. This is a clear example of the influence of globalization. According to Alec Ross, one of the creators of technology policy for Barack Obamas 2008 presidential campaign, â€Å"We are well beyond being able to consider social media a fad. If you are not open to social media spaces then you are not attuned to the dynamics on the street and you sacrifice both understanding and power. The emergence of Social Media has caused for the political culture in Jamaica to be less dependent on local culture, due to this recent technological advancement. In 2007 statistics showed that 539. 543 per 1,000 people  in Jamaica used the internet, in 2005 3,042,000 people in Jamaica were telephone subscribers. Also in 2007 there were 2,700,000 mobile phone subscribers and 444. 079 per 1,000 people in Jamaica who had radios. In 2002, 70. 04% of households in Jamaica had televisions. These numbers are rising every year, with social media becoming more popular as the years go by. In Jamaica there are 7 local television channels; the two main local channels being CVM and TVJ (Gordon 89). These channels no longer focus on what is going on locally in the country or show many locally produced shows. The time slots for these stations are filled with American based television shows, cartoon and movies. The local news also doesn’t focus on what is happening in the country each day, but only gives us a brief overview and then skips to â€Å"international news† updating the public on what is happening in places such as USA, Canada, Asia and South America just to name a few. It is speculated that in Jamaica, the people know more about what is going on in America than they do about what is happening in their â€Å"own backyard. † In Jamaica during election time, the political parties use the media as a way to voice their opinions of the other parties and also articles and pictures are published in order to persuade voters to vote for a particular party or to persuade the public to vote in general. The media also helps with political socialization, this is the process by which people form their ideas about   politics and acquire political values, the two main political arties in Jamaica being the Jamaica Labour Party and the People’s National Party. Social media currently plays a huge part in the political culture of Jamaica. Jamaica tries to emulate the political culture of the United States of America that is using social media forums which include facebook and twitter as a way to promote political parties instead of sticking the usual me ans of newspapers and new channels. As technology develops, politics has to develop along with it. An example of this is seen by the creation of a facebook page called â€Å"Young Jamaica† which is an affiliate of the Jamaica Labour Party. The purpose of the page is to inform Jamaica’s youth about the JLP and to promote this party over the PNP. It encourages young Jamaicans to get enumerated and it also highlights the failures of the PNP and its members. Another example of social media forum is the seen by the creation of a facebook page called â€Å"Blame Bruce† which is an affiliate of the People’s National Party blaming past Prime Minister Bruce Golding for problems in Jamaica. There was also a â€Å"hashtag† on twitter called â€Å"Blame Bruce†. The Jamaican political culture is less dependent on the local culture. The most recent instance of the local culture being brought into politics was due to the Jamaica 50th celebration on August 6th 2012, Jamaica was an independent nation for 50 years. Due to technological developments, the political culture of Jamaica is less dependent on local culture. Globalization and Social media have had a huge effect on the political culture, as these seem to have more of an influence than the local culture.

ESL Phrases for Performing Well in Business Meetings

ESL Phrases for Performing Well in Business Meetings One of the most common requirements of business English is holding meetings in English. The following sections provide useful language and phrases for conducting meetings and making contributions to a meeting. Conducting a Meeting These phrases are useful if you need to run  a meeting. Opening Good morning/afternoon, everyone.If we are all here, lets get started / start the meeting / start. Welcoming and Introducing Please join me in welcoming (name of participant)Were pleased to welcome (name of participant)Id like to extend a warm welcome to (name of participant)Its a pleasure to welcome (name of participant)Id like to introduce (name of participant) Stating the Principal Objectives Were here today to ...Id like to make sure that we ...Our main aim today is to ...Ive called this meeting in order to ... Giving Apologies for Someone Who is Absent Im afraid.., (name of participant) cant be with us today. She is in...Unfortunately, (name of participant) ... will not be with us to day because he ...I have received apologies for absence from (name of participant), who is in (place). Reading the Minutes (notes) of the Last Meeting To begin with Id like to quickly go through the minutes of our last meeting.First, lets go over the report from the last meeting, which was held on (date)Here are the minutes from our last meeting, which was on (date) Dealing with Recent Developments Jack, can you tell us how the XYZ project is progressing?Jack, how is the XYZ project coming along?John, have you completed the report on the new accounting package?Has everyone received a copy of the Tate Foundation report on current marketing trends? Moving Forward So, if there is nothing else we need to discuss, lets move on to todays agenda.Shall we get down to business?Is there Any Other Business?If there are no further developments, Id like to move on to todays topic. Introducing the Agenda Have you all received a copy of the agenda?There are X items on the agenda. First, ... second, ... third, ... lastly, ...Shall we take the points in this order?If you dont mind, Id like to go in order today.skip item 1 and move on to item 3I suggest we take item 2 last. Allocating Roles (secretary, participants) (name of participant) has agreed to take the minutes.(name of participant), would you mind  taking the minutes?(name of participant) has kindly agreed to give us a report on ...(name of participant) will lead point 1, (name of participant) point 2, and (name of participant) point 3.(name of participant), would you mind taking notes today? Agreeing on the Ground Rules for the Meeting (contributions, timing, decision-making, etc.) We will first hear a short report on each point first, followed by a discussion of ...I suggest we go round the table first.Lets make sure we finish by ...Id suggest we ...There will be five minutes for each item.Well have to keep each item to 15 minutes. Otherwise well never get through. Introducing the First Item on the Agenda So, lets start with ...Id suggest we start with...Why dont we start with...So, the first item on the agenda isPete, would you like to kick off?Shall we start with ...(name of participant), would you like to introduce this item? Closing an Item I think that takes care of the first item.Shall we leave that item?Why dont we move on to...If nobody has anything else to add, lets ... Next Item Lets move onto the next itemNow that weve discussed X, lets now ...The next item on todays agenda is...Now we come to the question of. Giving Control to the Next Participant Id like to hand over to (name of participant), who is going to lead the next point.Next, (name of participant) is going to take us through ...Now, Id like to introduce (name of participant) who is going to ... Summarizing Before we close todays meeting, let me just summarize the main points.Let me quickly go over todays main points.To sum up, ...,.OK, why dont we quickly summarize what weve done today.In brief, ...Shall I go over the main points? Keeping the Meeting On Target (time, relevance, decisions) Were running short of time.Well, that seems to be all the time we have today.Please be brief.Im afraid weve run out of time.Im afraid thats outside the scope of this meeting.Lets get back on track, why dont we?Thats not really why were here today.Why dont we return to the main focus of todays meeting.Well have to leave that to another time.Were beginning to lose sight of the main point.Keep to the point, please.I think wed better leave that for another meeting.Are we ready to make a decision? Finishing Up Right, it looks as though weve covered the main items.If there are no other comments, Id like to wrap this meeting up.Lets bring this to a close for today.Is there Any Other Business? Suggesting and Agreeing on Time, Date and Place for the Next Meeting Can we set the date for the next meeting, please?So, the next meeting will be on ... (day), the . . . (date) of.. . (month) at ...Lets next meet on ... (day), the . . . (date) of.. . (month) at ... What about the following Wednesday? How is that? Thanking Participants for Attending Id like to thank Marianne and Jeremy for coming over from London.Thank you all for attending.Thanks for your participation. Closing the Meeting The meeting is finished, well see each other next ...The meeting is closed.I declare the meeting closed. Meeting Participation Vocabulary The following phrases are used to participate in a meeting. These phrases are useful for expressing your ideas and giving input during  a meeting. Getting the Chairpersons Attention (Mister/Madam) chairman.May I have a word?If I may, I think...Excuse me for interrupting.May I come in here? Giving Opinions Im positive that...I (really) feel that...In my opinion...The way I see things...If you ask me,... I tend to think that... Asking for Opinions Are you positive that...Do you (really) think that...(name of participant) can we get your input?How do you feel about...? Commenting Thats interesting.I never thought about it that way before.Good point!I get your point.I see what you mean. Agreeing I totally agree with you.Exactly!Thats (exactly) the way I feel.I have to agree with (name of participant). Disagreeing Unfortunately, I see it differently.Up to a point I agree with you, but...(Im afraid) I cant agree Advising and Suggesting Lets...We should...Why dont you....How/What about...I suggest/recommend that... Clarifying Let me spell out...Have I made that clear?Do you see what Im getting at?Let me put this another way...Id just like to repeat that... Requesting Information Please, could you...Id like you to...Would you mind...I wonder if you could... Asking for Repetition Im afraid I didnt understand that. Could you repeat what you just said?I didnt catch that. Could you repeat that, please?I missed that. Could you say it again, please?Could you run that by me one more time? Asking for Clarification I dont quite follow you. What exactly do you mean?Im afraid I dont quite understand what your are getting at.Could you explain to me how that is going to work?I dont see what you mean. Could we have some more details, please? Asking for Verification You did say next week, didnt you? (did is stressed)Do you mean that...?Is it true that...? Asking for Spelling Could you spell that, please?Would you mind spelling that for me, please? Asking for Contributions We havent heard from you yet, (name of participant).What do you think about this proposal?Would you like to add anything, (name of participant)?Has anyone else got anything to contribute?Are there any more comments? Correcting Information Sorry, I think you misunderstood what I said.Sorry, thats not quite right.Im afraid you dont understand what Im saying.Thats not quite what I had in mind.Thats not what I meant. Meeting Format Meetings generally follow a more or less similar structure and can be divided into the following parts: I - Introductions Opening the MeetingWelcoming and Introducing ParticipantsStating the Principal Objectives of a MeetingGiving Apologies for Someone Who is Absent II - Reviewing Past Business Reading the Minutes (notes) of the Last MeetingDealing with Recent Developments III - Beginning the Meeting Introducing the AgendaAllocating Roles (secretary, participants)Agreeing on the Ground Rules for the Meeting (contributions, timing, decision-making, etc.) IV - Discussing Items Introducing the First Item on the AgendaClosing an ItemNext ItemGiving Control to the Next Participant V - Finishing the Meeting SummarizingFinishing UpSuggesting and Agreeing  on Time, Date and Place for the Next MeetingThanking Participants for AttendingClosing the Meeting

Digital technologhy plays a key role in eduction Essay

Digital technologhy plays a key role in eduction - Essay Example It is also argued that digital technology has the potential to support socio-cultural forms of not only ‘situated learning’, but also the associated perception of ‘communities of practice’ (Selwyn 2014). Some educators also argue that digital technology has the potential to support ‘progressive’ which are non-authoritarian forms of engagement in education. The progressive educational engagement include child-centred learning as well as open forms of teaching which advocates meaning making and interpretation in addition to encouraging learner autonomy as well as dispersal of power. Educational technologies are also believed to play a significant role in not only improving, but also transforming schooling (Gouseti 2014). It has the potential to transform â€Å"teaching and learning into an engaging and active process connected to real life† (Gouseti 2014, p. 37). Digital technology also prepares learners for future workplace. Despite digital technology being associated with many contributions to education, it is also evident that it can result to displacement of educational institutions. Digital technology cans also lead to the displacement of teachers in schools. Additionally, it is argued that the use of digital technology can result to partial reconfiguration of educational institutions (Selwyn 2011). Students also use digital technology inappropriately in school environments. However, it is good to know the integral role of a teacher in education as well as learning whether in technology-based or not in order to ascertain if technology use in education will lead to displacement of the teacher. Additionally, I think it is good for one to know more about ‘blended learning’. Understanding this will enable one associate role of the educational institution with use of digital technology. Armstrong, J 2014, BC High Students Punished For